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| THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA |
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| SENATE RESOLUTION |
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| INTRODUCED BY BOSCOLA, PILEGGI, TARTAGLIONE, FONTANA, HUGHES, MUSTO AND PIPPY, MAY 27, 2009 |
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| REFERRED TO EDUCATION, MAY 27, 2009 |
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| A RESOLUTION |
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1 | Encouraging public and nonpublic schools to instruct the |
2 | students of this Commonwealth on the need for and rewards of |
3 | blood donation and volunteering in local blood donation |
4 | programs. |
5 | WHEREAS, Victims of trauma, surgery patients, organ |
6 | transplant patients, patients receiving treatment for leukemia, |
7 | cancer or other diseases and other individuals require |
8 | transfusions of whole blood and whole blood components; and |
9 | WHEREAS, On average, one person needs blood every three |
10 | seconds; and |
11 | WHEREAS, Approximately 38,000 units of blood are used each |
12 | day in the United States; and |
13 | WHEREAS, In 2001, 15 million units of whole blood and red |
14 | blood cells were donated in the United States while nearly 29 |
15 | million units of blood components were used by persons in need; |
16 | and |
17 | WHEREAS, Volunteer blood donors provide nearly all of the |
18 | nation's blood supply for transfusion; and |
19 | WHEREAS, Blood banks frequently run short of types O and B |
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1 | blood, and shortages of all types of blood occur during the |
2 | summer and winter holidays; and |
3 | WHEREAS, No substitute for human blood currently exists, but |
4 | one unit of donated blood can save the lives of up to three |
5 | people; and |
6 | WHEREAS, While one unit of whole blood may be used for |
7 | transfusion, the same unit of whole blood can be separated into |
8 | several components, including red blood cells, white blood |
9 | cells, plasma, platelets and cryoprecipitated AHF |
10 | (antihemophilic factor), for use by different individuals with |
11 | different needs; and |
12 | WHEREAS, Red blood cells carry oxygen and are used to treat |
13 | anemia, platelets control bleeding and are used to treat |
14 | leukemia and other cancers, and plasma and cryoprecipitated AHF |
15 | are used to control bleeding; and |
16 | WHEREAS, Red blood cells must be used within 42 days or may |
17 | be frozen for up to ten years, platelets must be used within |
18 | five days, and plasma and cryoprecipitated AHF may be frozen and |
19 | used within one year; and |
20 | WHEREAS, Volunteer blood donors cannot contract acquired |
21 | immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) or any other blood disease |
22 | from the blood donation procedure; and |
23 | WHEREAS, More than ten tests, most of which are for |
24 | infectious diseases, are performed on each unit of donated |
25 | blood; and |
26 | WHEREAS, While 60% of the population of the United States |
27 | meets the criteria for blood donation and is eligible, only 5% |
28 | donates blood and blood components; and |
29 | WHEREAS, An adult of average weight has about ten to 12 units |
30 | of blood and may donate whole blood once every eight weeks or 56 |
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1 | days, and red blood cell donation, called red cell apheresis, |
2 | can be made every 16 weeks; and |
3 | WHEREAS, The time period for blood collection takes |
4 | approximately ten to 20 minutes, with the entire process taking |
5 | about 45 minutes to one hour; and |
6 | WHEREAS, Students in this Commonwealth are our future leaders |
7 | and citizens; and |
8 | WHEREAS, In addition to the general education of this |
9 | Commonwealth's students which is essential to achieving well- |
10 | informed and successful citizens, school-based instruction which |
11 | addresses the need for and benefits of blood donation and |
12 | volunteer blood donors benefits local communities and this |
13 | Commonwealth with an improved donated blood supply and an |
14 | increased level of participation in local blood donation |
15 | programs; and |
16 | WHEREAS, School-based instruction on the personal rewards for |
17 | blood donors and blood donation program volunteers, from |
18 | providing necessary assistance through local blood donation |
19 | programs to individuals with a critical need for blood |
20 | transfusions, benefits blood donors, program volunteers, local |
21 | communities and this Commonwealth; therefore be it |
22 | RESOLVED, That the Senate encourage public and nonpublic |
23 | schools to provide instruction to the students of this |
24 | Commonwealth on the need for and the varied benefits of blood |
25 | donation and to encourage blood donation and participation in |
26 | local blood donation programs. |
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