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| THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA |
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| HOUSE RESOLUTION |
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| INTRODUCED BY PETRARCA, MARCH 3, 2011 |
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| INTRODUCED AS NONCONTROVERSIAL RESOLUTION UNDER RULE 35, MARCH 3, 2011 |
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| A RESOLUTION |
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1 | Designating April 6, 2011, as "Pennsylvania Organ and Tissue |
2 | Donor Awareness Day." |
3 | WHEREAS, Organ and tissue transplantation has been recognized |
4 | as a corrective and lifesaving medical procedure; and |
5 | WHEREAS, Each person who donates organs and tissue can |
6 | potentially save or enhance more than 50 lives and take eight |
7 | people off the organ transplant waiting list; and |
8 | WHEREAS, It is estimated that more than 110,000 people are |
9 | waiting for lifesaving organ transplants in the United States; |
10 | and |
11 | WHEREAS, Approximately 8,000 individuals in Pennsylvania are |
12 | awaiting lifesaving organ donations; and |
13 | WHEREAS, On average, one person will die each day in |
14 | Pennsylvania waiting for lifesaving organ and tissue |
15 | transplants; and |
16 | WHEREAS, Each year approximately 6,600 individuals in the |
17 | United States give the gift of life through organ donation after |
18 | death; and |
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1 | WHEREAS, This Commonwealth has 17 transplant centers and is |
2 | recognized as a world leader in organ and tissue |
3 | transplantation; and |
4 | WHEREAS, State law enables citizens to donate their organs |
5 | and tissues through placing the donor designation on their |
6 | driver's licenses or State identification cards and also allows |
7 | relatives to consent to the donation of organs and tissues of a |
8 | deceased family member; and |
9 | WHEREAS, A vital component of the continuation and |
10 | advancement of organ transplantation is the recovery of donor |
11 | organs and tissues; and |
12 | WHEREAS, The lifesaving work of transplant team medical |
13 | professionals and researchers to improve surgical techniques and |
14 | antirejection drugs has resulted in a significantly increased |
15 | success rate for organ transplantation; and |
16 | WHEREAS, Pennsylvania is a national and international leader |
17 | in the field of donation and transplantation, but the number of |
18 | people in need of transplants for exceeds the number of organs |
19 | and the amount of tissue available; and |
20 | WHEREAS, Despite the progress made in Pennsylvania's Organ |
21 | and Tissue Donor Awareness Program, the growing demand for |
22 | donated organs and tissues for transplantation represents a |
23 | public health issue which merits action; and |
24 | WHEREAS, If Pennsylvania is to remain a leader in organ and |
25 | tissue donation and transplantation it is necessary that the |
26 | pronouncements and public policies of State government both |
27 | encourage and promote organ and tissue donation; therefore be it |
28 | RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives designate April |
29 | 6, 2011, as "Pennsylvania Organ and Tissue Donor Awareness Day"; |
30 | and be it further |
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1 | RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives encourage all |
2 | Pennsylvanians to designate themselves as an organ and tissue |
3 | donor on their Pennsylvania driver's licenses or State |
4 | identification cards or by registering online at |
5 | www.donatelife-pa.org and to share this decision with their |
6 | families and friends. |
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