Press release from Lutheran Hospital:
Lutheran Only Hospital in State to Participate in Rose Bowl Parade with Float Celebrating Lives of Area Organ, Corneal and Tissue Donors
Lutheran to host special recognition program for donor families Jan. 24
(December 30, 2009) – On January 1, Lutheran Hospital will demonstrate its gratitude nationally to area residents who generously gave the gift of life by becoming organ, corneal or tissue donors. The hospital, which has the region’s only heart transplant and kidney transplant programs, recently dedicated roses that will appear on the Rose Bowl Parade’s Donate Life float. These roses represent 85 donors from northeastern Indiana and northwestern Ohio and honor their decision to donate life.
“As we celebrate the many lives saved at Lutheran Hospital, we must also reflect and acknowledge the donors who help us preserve the gift of life for others,” said Joe Dorko, CEO, Lutheran Hospital. “We’re proud to honor donors and their families through the Rose Parade Float and we look forward to personally recognizing each donor and their families at our special donor recognition program. We want donor families to know that we have not forgotten them, rather we are inspired by them.”
Each donor’s name was placed on a rose vial used on the Rose Parade float. A duplicate vial and a certificate will be presented to participating donor families at Lutheran’s recognition program on January 24. The program will feature Joann Nixon, a local donor mother and wife, who represented Indiana on the Rose Parade float. Other speakers include a heart recipient and a cornea recipient.
The Donate Life Rose Parade Float is positioned as the fourth float in the parade, and the parade begins at 11 a.m. Central time. The float itself highlights a majestic phoenix with its tail feathers adorning floragraph portraits of donors. The theme of the float is “New Life Rises” and it represents all people touched by donation.
Anyone interested in becoming an organ, corneal or tissue donor is encouraged to register online at donatelifeindiana.org.
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