1Designating the month of April 2014 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 121,000 people are
9waiting for lifesaving organ transplants in the United States;
10and

11WHEREAS, Approximately more than 8,600 men, women and
12children in this Commonwealth are awaiting lifesaving organ
13transplants; and

14WHEREAS, On average, one person will die each day in this
15Commonwealth waiting for a lifesaving organ transplant; and

16WHEREAS, This Commonwealth has 18 transplant centers and is
17recognized as a world leader in organ and tissue

1transplantation; and

2WHEREAS, Commonwealth law enables citizens to donate their
3organs and tissues by selecting this option to become a donor
4when applying for or renewing their drivers' licenses or State
5identification cards and also allows relatives to consent to the
6donation of organs and tissues of a deceased family member; and

7WHEREAS, A vital component of the continuation and
8advancement of organ transplantation is the recovery of donor
9organs and tissues; and

10WHEREAS, The lifesaving work of transplant team medical
11professionals and researchers of improving surgical techniques
12and antirejection drugs has resulted in a significantly
13increased success rate for organ transplantation, and

14WHEREAS, This Commonwealth is a national and international
15leader in the field of donation and transplantation, but the
16number of people in need of transplants far exceeds the number
17of organs and the amount of tissue available; and

18WHEREAS, Despite the progress made in Pennsylvania's organ
19and tissue donor awareness program through the efforts of the
20Department of Health and Department of Transportation and the
21Commonwealth's two organ procurement organizations, the Center
22for Organ Recovery and Education (CORE) and Gift of Life Donor
23Program and their partnering hospitals and exceptional health
24care workers, the growing demand for donated organs and tissues
25for transplantations represents a public health issue that
26merits action;

27WHEREAS, If this Commonwealth is to remain a leader in organ
28donation and transplantation, it is necessary that the
29pronouncements and public policies of state government both
30encourage and promote organ and tissue donation; therefore be it

1RESOLVED, That the Senate designate the month of April 2014
2as "Pennsylvania Donate Life Month"; and be it further

3RESOLVED, That the Senate support organ and tissue donation
4and encourage all citizens to consider the benefits of becoming
5an organ and tissue donor by placing the organ donor designation
6on their driver's license or state identification card or
7registering online at www.donatelife-pa.org and to share this
8decision with their families.