Indiana Transplant Recipient Featured on Rose Bowl Parade Float

WIBC 93.1 | Reed Parker
Maria Knowlton preparing to leave for the Rose Bowl Friday morning. (photo courtesy IOPO)

The Indiana Organ Procurement Organization (IOPO) is sponsoring a lung transplant recipient who will represent the state in the Rose Bowl Parade. Maria Knowlton of Walkteron will be one of 32 float riders on Donate Life's float.

Listen:  93 WIBC's Ray Steele with Maria Knowlton on Indy's Morning News

Knowlton says she suffers from Cystic Fibrosis, which destroyed her lungs, resulting in a double lung transplant 12 years ago. Knowlton was placed on the transplant list in 1998, but she says the only details she knows about her donor is that he was a 42-year old Ohio man who died suddenly in Ft. Wayne.

Knowlton says this float is special since it will feature florographs, which are pictures of donors who saves many lives across the country. 72 florographs will be featured on the float.

Over 116,000 people are waiting for a transplant nationally, over 1,400 are in Indiana. You can learn more about organ donation at www.donatelifeindiana.org.

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