1Designating the month of April 2013 as "Pennsylvania Donate Life
2Month."

3WHEREAS, Organ and tissue transplantation has been recognized
4as a corrective and lifesaving medical procedure; and

5WHEREAS, Each person who donates organs and tissues can
6potentially save or enhance more than 50 lives and take eight
7people off the organ transplant waiting list; and

8WHEREAS, It is estimated that more than 117,000 people are
9waiting for lifesaving organ transplants in the United States;
10and

11WHEREAS, Approximately 6,200 individuals in Pennsylvania are
12awaiting lifesaving organ transplants; and

13WHEREAS, On average, one person will die each day in
14Pennsylvania waiting for a lifesaving organ transplant; and

15WHEREAS, In 2012 approximately 8,100 individuals in the
16United States, including 460 individuals and families in this
17Commonwealth, elected to support the gift of life through organ

1donation after death; and

2WHEREAS, This Commonwealth has 18 transplant centers and is
3recognized as a world leader in organ and tissue
4transplantation; and

5WHEREAS, State law enables citizens to donate their organs
6and tissues through placing the donor designation on their
7drivers' licenses or State identification cards and also allows
8relatives to consent to the donation of organs and tissues of a
9deceased family member; and

10WHEREAS, A vital component of the continuation and
11advancement of organ transplantation is the recovery of donor
12organs and tissues; and

13WHEREAS, The lifesaving work of transplant team medical
14professionals and researchers to improve surgical techniques and
15antirejection drugs has resulted in a significantly increased
16success rate for organ transplantation; and

17WHEREAS, Pennsylvania is a national and international leader
18in the field of donation and transplantation, but the number of
19people in need of transplants far exceeds the number of organs
20and the amount of tissue available; and

21WHEREAS, Despite the progress made in Pennsylvania's Organ
22and Tissue Donor Awareness Program through the efforts of the
23Commonwealth's organ procurement organizations, Gift of Life
24Donor Program and the Center for Organ Recovery and Education
25(CORE) and their partnering hospitals and exceptional health
26care workers, the growing demand for donated organs and tissues
27for transplantation represents a public health issue which
28merits action; and

29WHEREAS, If this Commonwealth is to remain a leader in organ
30donation and transplantation, it is necessary that the

1pronouncements and public policies of State government both
2encourage and promote organ and tissue donation; therefore be it

3RESOLVED, That the Senate designate the month of April 2013
4as "Pennsylvania Donate Life Month"; and be it further

5RESOLVED, That the Senate support organ donation and strongly
6encourage all citizens of this Commonwealth to designate
7themselves as an organ and tissue donor on their drivers'
8licenses or State identification cards or by registering online
9at www.donatelife-pa.org and share the decision to do so with
10their families and friends.