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Nationwide Rose Dedication Program Launches to Support 2018 Donate Life Rose Parade Float
[November 21, 2017]

Nationwide Rose Dedication Program Launches to Support 2018 Donate Life Rose Parade Float


A national Rose Dedication program entitled "Making a Difference" has been launched today in an effort to raise greater awareness of organ, eye and tissue donation and to encourage more individuals to become donors. The program is sponsored by Dignity Memorial® in support of the Donate Life Rose Parade® float that will bring powerful messages of hope and inspiration on New Year's Day. Since 2009, Dignity Memorial, North America's largest network of funeral, cremation and cemetery service providers, has been a top-tier sponsor of the Donate Life Rose Parade float.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20171121005593/en/

"The Making a Difference program is a way to engage and give thanks to all of the organ procurement organizations (OPO), transplant centers, eye banks and tissue banks across the country as we come together to share our mission to save and heal lives," said Jay Andrew, director of corporate communications at Service Corporation International. "It is a unique opportunity for people across the country to be part of the Rose Parade experience and to visibly encourage more people to become donors."

Under this program every OPO, transplant center, eye bank and tissue bank in the country will soon be receiving a vial containing a silk rose in recognition of the positive difference they are making in their own communities in the fields of organ, eye and tissue transplantation. Accompanying the roses will be dedication tags on which personal messages can be written honoring those who have given the gift of life, received the gift of life, or are waiting to receive the gift of life through transplantation. Local events will be held across the country in support of those acts of kindness. The roses will then be placed on the Donate Life float as a way for each of these organizations to symbolically be part of the 2018 parade itself.

This year's float, The Gift of Time, reflects the parade's theme of "Making a Difference" by celebrating 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 an organ, eye or tissue 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.



Celebrating its 15th year of participating in the parade, the Donate Life Tournament of Roses Parade® float is the centerpiece of a national effort to reach a broad audience with the simple, life-giving message that organ, eye and tissue donation saves and heals lives. Vibrant floragraphs will pay tribute to 44 donors while eight living donors and recipients will walk alongside carrying baskets of fruit and flowers in celebration of a renewed life.

"Nationally there are over 116,000 people waiting to receive a lifesaving heart, liver, lung, kidney or pancreas transplant; but there are simply not enough donors to meet the growing need," said Tom Mone, chairman of the Donate Life Rose Parade® float committee and CEO of OneLegacy, the nonprofit organ, eye and tissue recovery organization serving the greater Los Angeles area. "More than 35,000 lifesaving transplants were performed in the United States last year, but tragically 20 people still die each day while waiting for a lifesaving organ donation. It is our hope that our float calls attention to this message and motivates individuals from around the world to register to be a donor."


The Donate Life Rose Parade® float is produced by OneLegacy and is made possible thanks to over 50 sponsoring donation, transplant, healthcare and family care organizations, and individuals who help make donation and transplant possible across the country.

About Donate Life America

Donate Life America is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit alliance of national organizations and state teams across the United States committed to increasing organ, eye and tissue donation. Donate Life America manages and promotes the national brand for donation, Donate Life, and assists Donate Life State Teams and national partners in facilitating high-performing donor registries; developing and executing effective multi-media donor education programs; and motivating the American public to register now as organ, eye and tissue donors. Register today by visiting DonateLife.net.

About Dignity Memorial

As North America's largest provider of funeral, cremation and cemetery services, the Dignity Memorial® network is the name families turn to for compassionate and professional final arrangements. Dignity Memorial providers care for more than 300,000 families each year and understand the importance of thoughtful, personalized arrangements. Offered through a network of more than 2,000 funeral, cremation and cemetery providers in the United States and Canada, the Dignity Memorial brand is your assurance of quality, value, caring service and exceptional customer satisfaction.

About Service Corporation International

Service Corporation International (NYSE:SCI), headquartered in Houston, Texas, is North America's leading provider of death care products and services. As of June 30, 2017, SCI operates 1,502 funeral service locations and 475 cemeteries (including 286 combination locations), which are geographically diversified across 45 states, eight Canadian provinces, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. Through its businesses, SCI markets the Dignity Memorial® brand, which offers assurance of quality, value, caring service and exceptional customer satisfaction. In January 2016, SCI was presented with the J.D. Power President's Award in recognition of an ongoing dedication to service excellence, including quality improvement, customer satisfaction and the development of enduring client relationships. For more information about Service Corporation International, please visit www.sci-corp.com. For more information about Dignity Memorial, please visit www.dignitymemorial.com. As used herein, "SCI" or the "Company" refers to Service Corporation International and all of its affiliated companies.


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