PRINTER'S NO. 592
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE RESOLUTION
No.
76
Session of
2019
INTRODUCED BY FARNESE, BOSCOLA, ARGALL, FONTANA, DINNIMAN,
PHILLIPS-HILL, BROWNE, COSTA, SANTARSIERO, HUGHES, BREWSTER,
COLLETT, KILLION, SABATINA, BLAKE, TARTAGLIONE, BARTOLOTTA
AND J. WARD, APRIL 9, 2019
INTRODUCED AND ADOPTED, APRIL 9, 2019
A RESOLUTION
Recognizing the month of April 2019 as "Donate Life Month" in
Pennsylvania.
WHEREAS, Organ and tissue transplantation has been recognized
as a corrective and lifesaving medical procedure; and
WHEREAS, Each individual who donates organs, eyes and tissues
can potentially save or enhance more than 75 lives and take 8
people off the organ transplant waiting list; and
WHEREAS, It is estimated that more than 113,000 individuals
are waiting for a lifesaving organ transplant in the United
States; and
WHEREAS, On average, 20 people die each day in the United
States waiting for a lifesaving organ transplant; and
WHEREAS, In 2018, approximately 10,000 individuals in the
United States, including 615 individuals and families in this
Commonwealth, elected to support the gift of life through organ
donation after death; and
WHEREAS, This Commonwealth has 19 transplant centers and is
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recognized as the world leader in organ and tissue
transplantation; and
WHEREAS, State law enables citizens to donate their organs
and tissues through placing the donor designation on their
driver's licenses or State identification cards and 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 to improve techniques and
antirejection drugs has resulted in a significantly increased
success rate for organ transplantation; and
WHEREAS, Pennsylvania is a national and international leader
in the field of donation and transplantation, but the number of
individuals in need of transplants far exceeds the number of
organs and the amount of tissue available; and
WHEREAS, Despite the progress made in the Department of
Health's Organ and Tissue Donor Awareness program through the
efforts of the Commonwealth's organ procurement organizations,
the Gift of Life Donor Program and the Center for Organ Recovery
and Education (CORE) and their partnering hospitals and
exceptional health care workers, the growing demand for donated
organs and tissues for transplantation represents a public
health issue that merits action; and
WHEREAS, If this Commonwealth is to remain a leader in organ
donation and transplantation, it is necessary that the
pronouncements and public policies of the Commonwealth both
encourage and promote organ and tissue donation; therefore be it
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RESOLVED, That the Senate recognize the month of April 2019
as "Donate Life Month" in Pennsylvania; and be it further
RESOLVED, That the Senate support organ donation and strongly
encourage all citizens of this Commonwealth to designate
themselves as an organ and tissue donor on their driver's
licenses or State identification cards or by registering online
at www.donatelifepa.org and share the decision to do so with
their families and friends.
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