[December 15, 2020 – Birmingham, AL] — Legacy of Hope is announcing today that it will be part of the Tournament of Roses 2021 TV special, “The Rose Parade’s New Year Celebration presented by Honda,” as a sponsor of the Donate Life floral sculpture. The special will include live-to-tape musical and marching band performances, heartwarming segments related to the Rose Parade, celebrity guest appearances, special Rose Bowl game football highlights, equestrians, spectacular floats from years past, and a behind-the-scenes look into the making of a float. The Rose Parade TV special will air on various broadcast networks on January 1, 2021.
The Donate Life community is preparing a tribute for this legendary event, with a floral sculpture that honors donors and donation health care professionals. The 2021 Donate Life Rose Parade floral sculpture, “Community of Life,” features a vibrant floral honeycomb built by bees, sharing the important message that we are stronger when we work together as a community. Twenty-one hexagonal memorial portraits of donors are interwoven within the honeycomb, symbolizing the life donors give through organ, eye and tissue donation. Much like the families and donors who have given the gift of life, bees epitomize a harmonious community that helps and benefits others. Just like busy bees, donation health care professionals devote every single day to make donation and transplantation possible; and the names of six health care professionals will be featured within the floral sculpture. Individually dedicated roses will adorn this floral installation, to honor the gift of life given by donors, donor families, transplant recipients and health care heroes, carrying personal messages of love, remembrance, hope and gratitude
“With nearly 114,000 people currently waiting for a life-saving transplant, we are grateful to be a part of this year’s Donate Life sculpture, to bring worldwide attention to the need for more people to register as donors, and by doing so, help make an impact in the lives of many,” said Chris Meeks, Executive Director Legacy of Hope. “We are proud to honor Jennifer Hayes as a healthcare donation hero for her inspiring dedication to organ, eye and tissue donation. Jennifer was an advocate for donor families, donors and the recipients waiting for the gift of life. Honoring her in this way is very meaningful to her family and her team at Legacy of Hope.”
Jennifer Lynn (Daily) Hayes of Arab, AL passed away August 28th, 2020, after battling COVID-19. She was only 47 years old.
Jennifer graduated with the class of 1991 from Arab High School. She was passionate about helping others and graduated from the University of Alabama Huntsville with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. Jennifer went on to work at Huntsville Hospital in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit for several years. She then started a career in the field of organ, eye and tissue donation where she worked as a Procurement Transplant Coordinator for Legacy of Hope. She was committed to life-long learning and received a Master of Science in Nursing in 2018. Jennifer recently continued her life-saving career in the field of donation with Buckeye Transplant Services.
Jennifer was very passionate about saving and enhancing lives through organ, eye and tissue donation. She brought a passion and enthusiasm to her job that is rarely seen. Jennifer compassionately cared for countless donor families as they started their grief journey and facilitated transplants for grateful recipients.
Jennifer married her high school sweetheart, Bobby Hayes on August 28th, 1993. Together they raised two wonderful children, welcomed two precious grandchildren, and cared for a plethora of dogs and cats. Jennifer embraced her large extended group of friends and family. Jennifer loved to travel, especially going to Disney World and the Great Smoky Mountains! She was always ready for a road trip or a marathon! She loved animals, Jeep rides and spending time with her friends and family. She had a wonderful smile that would brighten a room! Jennifer lived her life to the fullest.
As the world’s most visible campaign to inspire organ, eye and tissue donation, the Donate Life Tribute to the Rose Parade inspires viewers to save and heal the more than one million people in need of organ, eye and tissue transplants each year. Register today to become an organ, eye and tissue donor by visiting www.RegisterMe.org/DonateLifeFloat.
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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.
About Legacy of Hope
Legacy of Hope, Alabama’s Organ & Tissue Donation Alliance, is a non-profit organization federally designated to evaluate and procure deceased donor organs. Founded in 1979, Legacy of Hope is a mission-driven organization that builds broad-reaching alliances to educate people about the importance of organ, eye and tissue donation, and inspire them to become donors. Visit LegacyofHope.org.
