Hospital leaders support organ donation
Rose vials signed by local CEOs to be sent to Tournament of Roses
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Roses from hospitals and organizations throughout the country decorate the Donate Life Rose Parade float each year, as part of a national effort to share the message that organ donation saves lives. This float is from the 2016 Tournament of Roses parade.
ELKINS -- Vance Jackson, CEO of Davis Health System, and Dana Gould, CEO of Broaddus Hospital, joined the Center for Organ Recovery & Education for a rose vial signing ceremony.
The rose vials signed separately for Davis Medical Center and Broaddus Hospital will be placed on the Donate Life Rose Parade float featured at the 2018 Tournament of Roses parade.
Celebrating its 15th year of participating in the parade, the Donate Life Rose Parade float is the centerpiece of a national effort of more than 50 organizations to reach a broad audience with the simple, life-giving message that donation saves and heals lives.
"We are honored to contribute to this float, which commemorates donors who have given the gift of life, while encouraging those watching at home to register as organ, tissue and cornea donors," said Michelle Stanton, chief quality officer/risk manager at Davis Medical Center.
This year's float entry, The Gift of Time, reflects the parade's theme of Making a Difference. The float celebrates the power of kindness and the generous acts of people throughout the world, who are making a positive difference in the lives of others. Perhaps no act is more emblematic of this than becoming a donor: A single organ donor can save the lives of up to eight people and improve the lives of as many as 75 more by donating their corneas and tissue. As the world's most visible campaign to inspire organ, tissue and cornea donation, The Donate Life Rose Parade float inspires viewers to help the over one million people in need of transplants each year.
"More than 35,000 life-saving transplants were performed in the United States last year, but tragically, 21 people still die each day waiting for a life-saving organ transplant," said Susan Stuart, president and CEO of CORE. "We hope the Donate Life Rose Parade float will call attention to this message, and we are inspired that Davis Medical Center and Broaddus Hospital have symbolized their commitment to donation by signing a rose vial to adorn the float."
Anyone interested can register to be an organ, tissue and cornea donor at core.org/register.