Organ donor's family joins Rose Bowl parade

By Bob Bauder
PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW

Pat Bloom owes her life to Thomas Poliziani of Green Tree, who died at age 34 in 2008.

Bloom, 57, a transplant patient from Mentor, Ohio, has one of Poliziani's kidneys.

"When you get the call, for the first few seconds you are in shock," Bloom said. "Then it hit me: For me to get that kidney, somebody had to die."

The Center for Organ Recovery & Education in O'Hara, known as CORE, is sponsoring several of Poliziani's relatives and a heart transplant recipient in the Rose Bowl Parade in Pasadena on New Year's Day. On Thursday, the organization announced its sponsorship at its headquarters, with the Polizianis and Brittany Grimm, 15, of Fairview Township near Erie as its guests of honor.

An image of Thomas Poliziani will be shown with 60 other deceased organ and tissue donors from around the country on a parade float. Grimm gets to ride the float, courtesy of CORE and Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, which are sharing expense costs.

"To know that my brother's picture is going to be on that float, and we're going to be there to see it flying, is pretty special," said Poliziani's brother, Lou, 38, of Mt. Lebanon.

This is the first year that CORE is sponsoring participants in the parade. Lou Poliziani; his wife, Shannon; and mother-in-law, Carol Voll, of Moon will participate.

"I believe they are perfect ambassadors to represent our cause," said Susan Stuart, CORE's president and CEO.

Each year, the organization Donate Life America, which promotes organ donation, sponsors a float in the parade.

This year's float, "Seize the Day" -- 35 feet high, 17 feet wide and 55 feet long -- will be constructed of colorful kites and roses. Poliziani's image, known as a floragraph, made of dried roses and rose seeds, and those of other organ donors will be on one of the kites' tails. Grimm will ride on the float with 29 other organ and tissue recipients. She was chosen through an essay contest Children's Hospital sponsored.

The ninth-grader at Fairview High School underwent her heart transplant in 2005 after suffering cardiomyopathy, a rare heart disease. She speaks to students at schools to promote organ donation awareness.

"It's important for people to know that, if they're one person and they donate their organs, they can help up to eight people," Grimm said.

The Polizianis were chosen for the honor because of their continued support of CORE, said Misty Enos, associate director of community outreach. The family sponsors a golf outing each year at Hickory Heights Golf Club in South Fayette. Proceeds go to CORE and Animal Friends in Kilbuck.

Organ recipients sometimes get to meet donors and families of deceased donors when all parties agree. That's what happened with Bloom and the Polizianis. Bloom said she considers the Polizianis to be family.

"It's a bond that we share like no other," said Lou Poliziani. "To know that my brother is helping Pat survive is pretty special."

To donate

• Contact the Center for Organ Recovery & Education at (800) 366-6777.

• Register online atcore.org, or through PennDOT's online driver and vehicle services atdmv.state.pa.us.