Your Stories: New England Donor Services and Saint Francis Represented on Rose Bowl Parade Float
November 26, 2023Categories: Colleague Corner
For over 20 years, the Donate Life Rose Parade Float has inspired people around the country and around the world to save and heal lives with the powerful message of organ, eye, and tissue donation. The 2024 Rose Parade theme, A World of Music, unites people through the power of music. In a world of different cultures, beliefs, hopes, and dreams, one language unites us all – music. Organ, eye, and tissue donation also unites people through the gift of life.
As a part of Saint Francis Hospital’s partnership with New England Donor Services (NEDS), members of the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) team signed a rose vial that will hold a rose as a part of the beautiful masterpiece for the Donate Life float seen during the Rose Bowl Parade held in California on New Year’s Day.
NEDS and Saint Francis are proud to collaborate to support families and honor patient wishes to help give the ultimate gift, the gift of life, to save and enhance so many lives. So far this year, Saint Francis has had 10 organ donors and 23 tissue donors. These donation heroes were able to provide 15 kidney transplants, seven liver transplants, three heart transplants, two double lung transplants, and one pancreas transplant. The tissue grafts donated consisted of corneas, skin, bones, chest plate, tendons, nerves, saphenous and femoral veins, and heart valves. In order for these gifts of life to be made possible, there are exceptional teams that work tirelessly to make it happen and support the donation process, including those who signed the rose vial. It is a small, yet incredible way to honor all the Saint Francis donors and their families.
Submitted by Heather Harris, Hospital Donation Strategist, New England Donor Services
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