Source: Iowa Newspaper Assn SvcsDes Moines, Iowa - December 21, 2009 - She gave the ultimate gift - the gift of life - and now her floragraph will encourage millions worldwide to follow her example as her image rides the Donate Life float down Colorado Boulevard in this year's Tournament of Roses Parade(r).
Just over three years ago Erika Schwager was killed in West Des Moines after her car collided with a fire truck. Her mother remembered how excited she'd been about choosing to be an organ donor when she'd gotten her drivers license. "So we were just doing what she desired, we didn't agonize over it. It was real easy for us," says Bette.
Last week, Erika's parents had the opportunity to finish a "floragraph", a picture of Erika recreated out of seeds, flowers and other natural ingredients. Erika's floragraph will be one of several made for this year's parade float honoring organ donors from across the country. In late December, Erika's parents will travel to California to view the float in person and watch the entire parade from the grandstand.
The theme of this year's Donate Life Float is New Life Rises... The meaning is obvious to so many of us involved in organ donation... When people say "yes" to organ, eye and tissue donation, New Life Rises, giving hope and healing to those in need of life-saving transplants...
From a bed of nurturing flames, the majestic phoenix rises anew, its tail feathers adorned with 40 floragraphs - portraits created with floral materials - depicting loved ones who gave life to those in need. The bird soars high above 24 float riders - all transplant recipients, living donors, and family members of deceased donors - seated along a monument inspired by the National Donor Memorial's Wall of Names. A garden inspired by the memorial's Wall of Tears leads the float with 2,000 dedicated roses, each carrying a personal message of love, gratitude and hope to a donor, recipient or candidate for transplant.
More than 105,000 Americans currently await life-saving organ transplants (over 500 in Iowa), with 17 people dying each day due to the shortage of donated organs. Every year hundreds of thousands of people need donated eyes and tissue to prevent or cure blindness, heal burns or save limbs, and one out of three people will need donated blood in their lifetime.
"The Rose Parade offers a unique setting to inspire people to sign up with their state organ and tissue donor registry," said Paul Sodders, Public Affairs Manager for Iowa Donor Network. Iowa Donor Network nominated Erika, with the permission of her parents, to be considered for the float.
Based in North Liberty, Iowa Donor Network is the fully accredited and federally designated organ procurement organization (OPO) serving Iowa. Certified by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, IDN coordinates with health care professionals, funeral directors and others involved in the donation process. IDN also works with donor families before, during and after donation, to educate, support, and help families work through their grief. For more information, log on to www.IowaDonorNetwork.org, or call (877) 366-6742 (DONOR-IA).
A copy of Erika's floragraph and an artist's rending of the float can be downloaded at: www.donatelifefloat.org.
(Contacts: Paul Sodders, Iowa Donor Network, (800) 831-4131 or psodders@iadn.org)
Just over three years ago Erika Schwager was killed in West Des Moines after her car collided with a fire truck. Her mother remembered how excited she'd been about choosing to be an organ donor when she'd gotten her drivers license. "So we were just doing what she desired, we didn't agonize over it. It was real easy for us," says Bette.
Last week, Erika's parents had the opportunity to finish a "floragraph", a picture of Erika recreated out of seeds, flowers and other natural ingredients. Erika's floragraph will be one of several made for this year's parade float honoring organ donors from across the country. In late December, Erika's parents will travel to California to view the float in person and watch the entire parade from the grandstand.
The theme of this year's Donate Life Float is New Life Rises... The meaning is obvious to so many of us involved in organ donation... When people say "yes" to organ, eye and tissue donation, New Life Rises, giving hope and healing to those in need of life-saving transplants...
From a bed of nurturing flames, the majestic phoenix rises anew, its tail feathers adorned with 40 floragraphs - portraits created with floral materials - depicting loved ones who gave life to those in need. The bird soars high above 24 float riders - all transplant recipients, living donors, and family members of deceased donors - seated along a monument inspired by the National Donor Memorial's Wall of Names. A garden inspired by the memorial's Wall of Tears leads the float with 2,000 dedicated roses, each carrying a personal message of love, gratitude and hope to a donor, recipient or candidate for transplant.
More than 105,000 Americans currently await life-saving organ transplants (over 500 in Iowa), with 17 people dying each day due to the shortage of donated organs. Every year hundreds of thousands of people need donated eyes and tissue to prevent or cure blindness, heal burns or save limbs, and one out of three people will need donated blood in their lifetime.
"The Rose Parade offers a unique setting to inspire people to sign up with their state organ and tissue donor registry," said Paul Sodders, Public Affairs Manager for Iowa Donor Network. Iowa Donor Network nominated Erika, with the permission of her parents, to be considered for the float.
Based in North Liberty, Iowa Donor Network is the fully accredited and federally designated organ procurement organization (OPO) serving Iowa. Certified by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, IDN coordinates with health care professionals, funeral directors and others involved in the donation process. IDN also works with donor families before, during and after donation, to educate, support, and help families work through their grief. For more information, log on to www.IowaDonorNetwork.org, or call (877) 366-6742 (DONOR-IA).
A copy of Erika's floragraph and an artist's rending of the float can be downloaded at: www.donatelifefloat.org.
(Contacts: Paul Sodders, Iowa Donor Network, (800) 831-4131 or psodders@iadn.org)
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