By Mary O’KEEFE

The 2018 Tournament of Roses Parade theme “Making a Difference” highlighted individuals and organizations that serve others. While many watched the Rose Parade from the comfort of their living rooms, for one La Crescenta resident this year’s parade was up close and very personal.

“I was actually surprised,” said Dr. Slavin of his invitation to ride on the City of Hope float. “My profession is strange.”

He is a physician who specializes in identifying hereditary diseases, including genetic components of cancer. He specializes in clinical and medical genetics and molecular diagnostics.

“I had known there was a float for the City of Hope since I started there, but never really knew how you get [to ride] on the float,” Slavin said. What he learned was there is a team at City of Hope that nominates patients to ride on the float and the patients then invite doctors. One of his patients – Rosemary Estrada – was nominated to ride on the City of Hope float. She in turn invited Dr. Slavin.

Slavin did his residency in Cleveland, Ohio and was, of course, aware of the Rose Parade. But since he made that New Year’s Day journey down Colorado Boulevard, he has a whole new perspective on – and respect for – the event.

“I was impressed with the grandiosity of the parade,” he said.

On Dec. 31, the floats were judged and all participants who were to ride on the floats were required to be at the judging.

“We went into the warehouse with the Phoenix Decorating Company,” he said. “I was shocked at how much was [going on] behind the scenes.”

Slavin and others were waiting for the judges.

“We are just standing there, looking at the floats, then out of nowhere the center stage on the [Forum’s] float [started rising up],” he said.

He said there were musicians and they began to play.

“I thought they were a great cover band, then [realized] they weren’t covering Earth, Wind and Fire; they were Earth, Wind and Fire,” he said.

He said the band played two entire songs for the estimated 40 people who were there.

“Those guys were amazing. Even as we crossed [the road] and parked the floats they were still singing,” he said.

Slavin said the group continued to perform for several of the military personnel who were there as well.

The day of the parade was a bit of a whirlwind. Slavin was standing on the float, so he was strapped in for safety reasons and he was amazed again at what was happening behind the scenes. There was a float that broke down and, at one point, one of the speakers on the City of Hope float stopped working.

“The [Phoenix Decorating Co. people] jumped on, fixed it and jumped off,” he said.

Slavin was also impressed by the size of the crowds and their enthusiasm. He said the crowds were very excited and for the entire five miles of the parade route there was continuous cheering.

“The thing that impressed me was how long [the parade route] was and the sea of endless people. It was mind blowing. At each turn, as far as you could see, there were crowds on both sides,” he said.

The float for the City of Hope not only carried patients and doctors, but it also carried Dodger Enrique “Kike” Hernandez. Slavin said Hernandez’s presence just added more cheers and screams, but it was the personal call-outs that were so impressive.

“As we went down the [route] people would call out ‘Thank you’ and ‘You saved my life,’” he said.

That was overwhelming. Then there was the float itself, which Slavin said was built with such respect. It was titled “Transforming Lives with Hope” and received the Isabella Coleman Award for most outstanding presentation of color and color harmony through floral design. It was a very colorful float that included a flowering tree.

“There were tags on all the flowers of things written by patients and [families],” he said.

The tags read, “God bless you” and “I hope I stay cancer free.”

“It makes you realize what you are working for at the end of the day,” he said.

Next week as part of our January Healthy Living section we will share an interview with Rosemary Estrada, her journey of genetic cancer and her advice for others.

Local Floats Receive Honors

Local floats that were given recognition by judges Maria Eugenia Carrion, Bradley Kay and James Sutton included the La Cañada Flintridge Tournament of Roses Association float “Panda-Monium,” which received the Bob Hope Humor Award for most whimsical and amusing float. The Burbank Tournament of Roses Association received the Founder Award for the most outstanding float built and decorated by volunteers from a community or organization titled “Sand-Sational Helpers.” And the American Armenian Rose Float Association, Inc. received the Judges Award for the most outstanding float design and dramatic impact.

  Mary Okeefe