13th Annual Donate Life Rose Parade Float Honors CHI St. Vincent Donors

There were 39 organ and tissue donors from CHI St. Vincent in 2014.  Fifteen donors were at Infirmary, 21 at Hot Springs, two at North and one donor at Morrilton. A single rose, representing each donor, was on the 13th Annual Donate Life Rose Parade float.  This year’s float, Treasure Life’s Journey, featured a colorful caravan on a journey across the desert.

Like an oasis discovered amidst a caravan’s journey across the desert, organ, eye and tissue donation saves lives, renews hope and sustains people, families and communities.

Donor families find comfort by helping life go on in a remarkable act of love and caring for people they may never know. Living Donors heroically give of themselves to help friends, family and even strangers.

One person can save up to eight lives through organ donation and more than 50 lives through tissue donation, which helps those who lack sight or need to heal from burns, or require new veins and arteries. More than 6,000 lives are saved by living kidney and liver donors each year.

Anyone can sign up when renewing a driver’s license or state ID, or by visiting www.DonateLifeAmerica.org.

The 127th Rose Parade was held Friday, Jan. 1, 2016.