Saving Sight Works with Local Hospitals to Honor Eye Donors

Dolan Dalpoas, President of Abraham
Lincoln Memorial Hospital in Lincoln,
Illinois, signs a rose vial in honor of eye
donors from the hospital.

On January 1 each year, millions from around the world ring in the New Year by tuning in to watch the annual Tournament of Roses Parade broadcast from Pasadena, California. Floats featured in the parade are covered completely with natural materials, each containing more flowers than the average florist will use in five years. While every float is adorned with beautiful flowers, the roses of one float are unique.

Since 2004, Donate Life America has used the global platform the Rose Parade provides to share the life changing power of organ, eye and tissue donation with the world. A special rose dedication garden on the float honors the legacy of donors and the partners who help make organ, eye and tissue donation possible. Saving Sight is working with partner hospitals across its service region to honor the more than 1,600 eye donors who have given the gift of sight through eye donation in 2015 by dedicating roses in their honor on the 2016 Donate Life Rose Parade float.

“It’s an incredible gift these donors make through eye donation. They forever change the lives of corneal transplant recipients,” said Saving Sight Chief Executive Officer Tony Bavuso. “We’re excited to work with local hospitals to honor that gift by dedicating roses that will be seen around the world as part of the 13 Donate Life Rose Parade float.”

Saving Sight has coordinated rose vial signings at partner hospitals across Missouri, Kansas, and central Illinois, inviting hospital executives to sign a vial with a message honoring eye donors from the hospital. The message, and a rose dedicated by Saving Sight for those donors, will ride aboard the Donate Life Rose Parade float, “Treasure Life’s Journey,” on January 1.

You can save up to eight lives through organ donation and enhance the lives of up to 50 more as an organ, eye and tissue donor. Join the more than 120 million Americans who have registered change lives as a donor. Visit registerme.org to sign up for the organ, eye and tissue donor registry today.