PRINTER'S NO. 745
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE RESOLUTION
No.
74
Session of
2015
INTRODUCED BY FARNESE, BOSCOLA, HAYWOOD, EICHELBERGER, SCAVELLO,
FONTANA, KITCHEN, BREWSTER, MENSCH, BARTOLOTTA, DINNIMAN,
PILEGGI, COSTA, RAFFERTY, WHITE, BLAKE, SMITH, AUMENT,
VULAKOVICH, ALLOWAY AND WOZNIAK, APRIL 14, 2015
INTRODUCED AND ADOPTED, APRIL 14, 2015
A RESOLUTION
Designating the month of April 2015 as "Pennsylvania Donate Life
Month."
WHEREAS, Organ and tissue transplantation has been recognized
as a corrective and lifesaving medical procedure; and
WHEREAS, Each person who donates organs and tissues can
potentially save or enhance more than 50 lives and take eight
people off the organ transplant waiting list; and
WHEREAS, It is estimated that more than 121,000 people are
waiting for lifesaving organ transplants in the United States;
and
WHEREAS, Approximately more than 8,600 men, women and
children in this Commonwealth are awaiting lifesaving organ
transplants; and
WHEREAS, On average, one person will die each day in this
Commonwealth waiting for a lifesaving organ transplant; and
WHEREAS, This Commonwealth has 18 transplant centers and is
recognized as a world leader in organ and tissue
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transplantation; and
WHEREAS, Commonwealth law enables residents to donate their
organs and tissues by selecting this option to become a donor
when applying for or renewing their drivers' licenses or State
identification cards and also allows relatives to consent to the
donation of organs and tissues of a deceased family member; and
WHEREAS, A vital component of the continuation and
advancement of organ transplantation is the recovery of donor
organs and tissues; and
WHEREAS, The lifesaving work of transplant team medical
professionals and researchers of improving surgical techniques
and antirejection drugs has resulted in a significantly
increased success rate for organ transplantation; and
WHEREAS, This Commonwealth is a national and international
leader in the field of donation and transplantation, but the
number of people in need of transplants far exceeds the number
of organs and the amount of tissue available; and
WHEREAS, Despite the progress made in Pennsylvania's organ
and tissue donor awareness program through the efforts of the
Department of Health and Department of Transportation and the
Commonwealth's two organ procurement organizations, the Center
for Organ Recovery and Education and Gift of Life Donor Program
and their partnering hospitals and exceptional health care
workers, the growing demand for donated organs and tissues for
transplantations represents a public health issue that merits
action;
WHEREAS, If this Commonwealth is to remain a leader in organ
donation and transplantation, it is necessary that the
pronouncements and public policies of State government both
encourage and promote organ and tissue donation; therefore be it
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RESOLVED, That the Senate designate the month of April 2015
as "Pennsylvania Donate Life Month"; and be it further
RESOLVED, That the Senate support organ and tissue donation
and encourage all residents to consider the benefits of becoming
an organ and tissue donor by placing the organ donor designation
on their driver's license or State identification card or
registering online at www.donatelife-pa.org and to share this
decision with their families.
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