Press Releases
22 Transplant Recipients, Organ Donors And Donor Family Members To Ride Inaugural Coalition On Donation Rose Parade® Float; Riders’ Stories of Hope Inspire “A Symphony of Life”
LOS ANGELES, CA, October 2, 2003 – When the 2004 Rose Parade ushers in the New Year, it will also mark a milestone in raising awareness of the critical and growing need for organ and tissue donation as 22 individuals from throughout the country come together to ride the first-ever Coalition on Donation Rose Parade float.
“Each rider tells a unique story about the adversities and triumphs that define one’s experience as a donor or transplant recipient,” said Bryan Stewart, chairman of the Coalition’s float committee and director of communications for OneLegacy, the transplant donor network serving Southern California. “We hope that the ethnic, cultural and geographic diversity of our float riders and their personal stories will help millions of viewers understand that through donation, we each have the power to help one another in a most profound way.”
“More than 80,000 Americans currently await organ transplants, while every year hundreds of thousands of people need donated tissue to prevent or cure blindness, heal burns or save limbs,” stated David Fleming, executive director of the Coalition on Donation. “The Rose Parade offers a unique setting to inspire people to make the commitment to donate life and discuss organ and tissue donation with their family.”
Riders were nominated by organ and tissue recovery organizations, research foundations and transplant centers nationwide. Leading the contingent are Dr. Kenneth P. Moritsugu, U.S. Deputy Surgeon General and an organ donor husband and father, and snowboarder Chris Klug, who received a life-saving liver transplant 18 months before winning a bronze medal at the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics.
Of special interest are Los Angeles area residents Patricia Abdullah and Mike Jones, whose chance meeting at a personal development seminar inspired her to donate a life-saving kidney to him. According to doctors at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, the only way they could have been a closer match was if they were born identical twins from the same cell—remarkable considering that Patricia is Caucasian and Mike is African American.
The riders hail from California, Colorado, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Tennessee and Wisconsin. Ranging in age from 12 to 63, both the youngest and oldest are heart recipients. Fifteen of the riders are transplant recipients hail from and seven are donors or donor family members. Download the full list of Float Riders.
Float riders from the Greater Los Angeles area include:
· Patricia Abdullah, Sherman Oaks, editor/writer, gave her kidney two years ago to a seminar classmate, fellow float rider Mike Jones. Patricia, who belongs to the Muslim Public Affairs Council, lives her belief that “we’re all one people;”
· Dionne Brown, Oxnard, age 14, who will celebrate the one-year anniversary of her heart transplant in January, is a cheerleader and an aspiring dancer/choreographer;
· Sara Castro, Pico Rivera, age 12, began life as the 85th baby under six months of age to receive heart transplant. Sara, who received her transplant at five weeks, competed in the 2000 U.S. Transplant Games;
· Patricia Elizarraraz, Rowland Heights, patient education consultant for the National Institute of Transplantation. Patricia, who has received three kidney transplants—two from her family—in the past two decades, is now 44;
· Eunice Gibson, Los Angeles, registered nurse, watched a case of pneumonia in 1989 progress into a life-threatening lung disease. A double-lung recipient last year, Eunice today devotes time to raising awareness of donation and transplantation in the African-American community;
· Mike Jones, Los Angeles, was experiencing end-stage renal failure two years ago when he met Patricia Abdullah at a professional development seminar. As part of the program, Patricia prompted him to make an “unreasonable request” of her, which resulted in his receiving her kidney a few months later;
· Phat Mach, Westminster, is an honors student who came to the U.S. from Vietnam at age 10. A year later, he was diagnosed with kidney disease and received a transplant in June. He is now 17;
· Sharon Maupin, Sierra Madre, a vibrant great-grandmother who battled with hepatitis C infection for 30 years as a result of a tainted blood transfusion. Sharon, who finally received a liver transplant in April, is a youthful 59; and
· Catalina (Cathy) Perez, Whittier, 32, sales representative, became a “Donor Mom” when she donated her five-year-old son’s organs after he suffered fatal head injuries in an car accident. Five years later, Cathy works actively to raise donor awareness and keep Louis’s memory alive.
The Coalition on Donation Rose Parade float carries the theme A Symphony of Life and features two gardens connected by a dramatic 50-foot bridge, symbolizing the living bridge between organ and tissue donors and recipients. The beautiful floral displays will be created by hundreds of Southland residents, including donor family members celebrating their loved ones and transplant recipients honoring their donors.
Spearheaded by Coalition on Donation member OneLegacy, the not-for-profit, federally designated transplant donor network serving Southern California, the Coalition on Donation Rose Parade Float is supported by 55 partners from across the nation, including organ and/or tissue recovery organizations, industry partners, transplant centers and transplant recipient organizations.
The 115th Rose Parade, themed Music Music Music, will take place on Thursday, January 1, 2004 at 8:00am PST featuring spirited marching bands from throughout the nation, majestic floral floats and high-stepping equestrian units.
Additional information on riders and volunteer decorating opportunities may be obtained by contacting Tenaya Wallace, (213) 401-1011 or twallace@onelegacy.org
For Information Call: Bryan Stewart, (213) 401-1226
U.S. Deputy Surgeon General Dr. Kenneth P. Moritsugu and Olympic Bronze Medalist Chris Klug to Ride 2004 Coalition on Donation Rose Parade Float
RICHMOND, VA, September 2, 2003 – The Deputy Surgeon General of the United States, RADM Kenneth P. Moritsugu, MD, MPH, and Olympic bronze medalist snowboarder Chris Klug will headline a group of 20 donor family members and transplant recipients selected to ride the 2004 Coalition on Donation Rose Parade® Float.
Dr. Moritsugu is a donor husband and father, having twice given the gift of life on behalf of his loved ones. “I am honored to represent donor families as part of ‘America’s New Years Tradition’” said Moritsugu. “Participating in the Rose Parade is a wonderful way to celebrate the power each of us has to save lives through organ and tissue donation and transplantation.”
Klug, a two-time Olympian in snowboarding’s giant slalom, won a bronze medal in the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympic Games 18 months after receiving a life-saving liver transplant. “Riding in the Rose Parade is one of the most wonderful ways I can think of to honor my donor and his family,” said Klug. “I can’t think of a more special way to celebrate the new year than to stand before millions of viewers and show how much they can make a difference to others such as myself.”
The Coalition on Donation, a not-for-profit alliance of local affiliates and national organizations dedicated to inspiring all people to donate life through organ and tissue donation, is a first-time float participant. Carrying the theme A Symphony of Life, the float features a beautiful garden bridge as its centerpiece, with a long trellis intertwined with florals.
“It has been wonderful to see how our Rose Parade float has energized our community,” said Bryan Stewart, chairman of the Coalition on Donation Rose Parade Float Committee. “As we head into the fall, we look forward to showing the world that organ and tissue donation and transplantation is something to be embraced, not feared. It’s about special people with inspiring stories of courage, hope and grace.”
Joining Moritsugu and Klug on the float will be 18 donor family members and transplant recipients from across the United States, including eight from Southern California.
Spearheaded by Coalition on Donation member OneLegacy, the not-for-profit, federally designated transplant donor network serving Southern California, the Coalition on Donation Rose Parade Float is supported by 46 partners from across the nation, including 25 organ and/or tissue recovery organizations, 15 industry partners, four transplant centers and two transplant recipient organizations.
The 115th Rose Parade, themed Music Music Music, will take place on Thursday, January 1, 2004 at 8:00am PST featuring spirited marching bands from throughout the nation, majestic floral floats and high-stepping equestrian units.
For Information Call: Bryan Stewart, (213) 401-1226
Coalition on Donation Unveils 2004 Rose Parade Float Design;
Donor Families and Transplant Recipients to Join Together in "A Symphony of Life"
PHILADELPHIA, PA, June 6, 2003 – The Coalition on Donation, a not-for-profit alliance of local affiliates and national organizations dedicated to inspiring all people to donate life through organ and tissue donation, unveiled its 2004 Rose Parade® float design at the Association of Organ Procurement Organizations (AOPO) annual meeting.
Carrying the theme A Symphony of Life, the float will feature more than a dozen donor family members and transplant recipients walking together across a beautiful garden bridge. A trellis running the length of the bridge will support a variety of intertwining florals, while two rowboats under the bridge will carry recipients and families of their organ donors.
“The Coalition on Donation’s Rose Parade float dramatically illustrates the inspiring, life-transforming connection between organ and tissue donors, their families and transplant recipients,” says David Fleming, Executive Director of the Coalition on Donation. “We hope our parade float will help people see organ and tissue donation in a positive light and inspire people to discuss donation with their families.”
“Our float theme A Symphony of Life brings a special meaning to the 2004 Rose Parade theme Music Music Music,” says Bryan Stewart, chairman of the Coalition on Donation Rose Parade Float Committee. “To those who are touched by the process, organ and tissue donation shares many hallmarks of classical music’s masterworks: profound, often divine inspiration; an intimate relationship between participants; and its essence as one of humanity’s great achievements.”
The Coalition on Donation float is being designed and built in Pasadena, Calif. by float builder Phoenix Decorating Co., the largest builder of Rose Parade floats. “We are proud of the float our designers have created,” says Bill Lofthouse, President of Phoenix Decorating Co. “We hope the inspiration that propelled our design efforts will be shared by millions of parade spectators and television viewers come January.”
Spearheaded by Coalition on Donation member OneLegacy, the not-for-profit, federally designated transplant donor network serving Southern California, the Coalition on Donation Rose Parade Float is supported by 35 partners from across the nation, including 22 organ procurement organizations, nine industry partners, and three Southern California transplant centers.
The 115th Rose Parade, themed Music Music Music, will take place on Thursday, January 1, 2004 at 8:00am PST featuring spirited marching bands from throughout the nation, majestic floral floats and high-stepping equestrian units.
For Information Call: Bryan Stewart, (213) 401-1226
Coalition on Donation to Enter Float in 2004 Rose Parade
LOS ANGELES, CA, May 1, 2003 – The Coalition on Donation, a not-for-profit alliance of local affiliates and national organizations dedicated to inspiring all people to donate life through organ and tissue donation, has been invited by the Pasadena Tournament of Roses to enter a float in the 2004 Rose Parade.
“The Coalition on Donation’s participation in the Rose Parade will dramatically communicate the positive, life-transforming benefits of organ and tissue donation to tens of millions of television viewers and parade spectators,” says David Fleming, Executive Director of the Coalition on Donation.
The vast majority of Americans are in favor of organ donation. More than half say they have signed a donor card or indicated their wish to donate on their driver's license. Although these are legal documents, organ donation is always discussed with family members prior to the donation. “We hope a beautiful floral parade float will inspire people to discuss donation with their families,” says Fleming.
The Coalition on Donation float will also serve as a focal point for those already touched by donation. “The float will provide a wonderful opportunity for donor family members to celebrate their loved ones and for transplant recipients to honor their donors by decorating and, for a lucky few, riding on the float,” says Coalition on Donation Rose Parade Float Committee chairman Bryan Stewart of OneLegacy. “Their personal stories of courage and tribute will be inspiring to Rose Parade participants and viewers alike.”
Spearheaded by Coalition on Donation member OneLegacy, the not-for-profit, federally designated transplant donor network serving Southern California, the Coalition on Donation Rose Parade Float is supported by 35 partners from across the nation, including 22 organ procurement organizations, nine industry partners, and three Southern California transplant centers.
The Coalition on Donation float will be designed and built in Pasadena by float builder Phoenix Decorating Co., the largest builder of Rose Parade floats. "We are privileged to help the Coalition on Donation inspire people to make such an important, life-saving decision," says Bill Lofthouse, President of Phoenix Decorating Co.
“We hope that our Rose Parade float will become an annual, time-honored tradition among Coalition on Donation members from all 50 states as well as the millions of people who have been personally touched by donation and transplantation,” says Fleming.
The 115th Rose Parade, themed Music Music Music, will take place on Thursday, January 1, 2004 at 8:00am PST featuring spirited marching bands from throughout the nation, majestic floral floats and high-stepping equestrian units.
For Information Call: Bryan Stewart, (213) 401-1226
