Johnson Participates in Effort to Raise Awareness about Organ and Tissue Donation

Dr. Robert Roose, President of Johnson Memorial Hospital, writes a message of hope for inclusion on the Donate Life Float, as Lindsey Gamble, MSN, RN, Executive Director of Operations and Patient Care Services; and Michael Rogers, PhD, Mission Integration Consultant, look on.

Johnson Memorial Hospital is pleased to partner with New England Donor Services to honor and remember those who gave the gift of life through organ and tissue donation. On January 1, 2024, the Donate Life Rose Parade Float titled Woven Together: The Dance of Life will include a dedication garden made up of roses with handwritten dedications by hospital presidents across the country including Robert Roose, M.D., MPH, President of Johnson Memorial Hospital and Mercy Medical Center.

“Through this rose dedication, Johnson Memorial Hospital recognizes our dedication and commitment to the lifesaving and healing generosity of organ and tissue donation. We are grateful to be part of this celebration of life to be viewed by millions on New Year’s Day,” said Dr. Roose.

“Organ and tissue donation can be a delicate topic for families to deal with during an extraordinarily difficult time. At Johnson, we are committed to assisting families with compassion and empathy as they make the decision that is right for them and their loved one,” said Lindsey Gamble, MSN, RN, Executive Director of Operations and Patient Care Services, Johnson Memorial Hospital.

Since its debut on New Year’s Day 2004, the Donate Life Rose Parade Float has become the world’s most visible campaign to inspire people to become organ and tissue donors. In addition to the 40 million viewers who watch the Rose Parade® on TV and along the parade route, events are held around the country to complete the “floragraph” images of donors that adorn the float.

The Woven Together: The Dance of Life float showcases the culture of the Hopi, native to the American Southwest. This group of Pueblo Native Americans is one of the oldest cultures in the United States, originating approximately 7,000 years ago. The Hopi have always been outstanding weavers and artisans, and their dances include colorful costumes and impressive headdresses and will be reflected in the float’s design.

As the world's most visible campaign to inspire organ, eye and tissue donation, the Donate Life Rose Parade float inspires viewers to save and heal more than one million people in need of organ and tissue transplants each year.