SECOND REGULAR SESSION
House Concurrent Resolution No. 35
97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVES WALTON GRAY (Sponsor), MIMS, PACE, MORGAN, KIRKTON, PIERSON, SCHUPP, SWEARINGEN, ELLINGTON, SMITH AND NORR (Co-sponsors).
WHEREAS, with more than 118,000 people waiting for an organ donation and with more than 7,000 people dying each year due to the lack of organs, public awareness of the great need for organ donation is the key to increasing the number of organ donors and thereby saving lives and improving the quality of life for recipients of organ donation; and
WHEREAS, approximately 30,000 people a year have begun new lives thanks to an organ transplant. Organs and tissue from a single nonliving donor can be used to benefit more than 50 people. Living donors can donate a kidney and parts of their liver, lung, pancreas, or intestine, and can be evaluated to help a friend, family member, or even donate anonymously to patients of the wait list; and
WHEREAS, promoting the need for organ and tissue donors and encouraging people to become an organ donor and tissue donor is vitally important to increase the number of lives saved and changed for the better through organ donation; and
WHEREAS, while every person must be advised of their option to donate an organ, special emphasis needs to be directed to minority organ donation, a potential donation population that to date has not become donors in large numbers; and
WHEREAS, an intensive awareness campaign focused on obstacles related to minorities and organ donation, and which promotes healthy living and disease prevention to decrease the need for organ transplantation and which reaches out to all ethnic groups is greatly needed:
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the members of the House of Representatives of the Ninety-seventh General Assembly, Second Regular Session, the Senate concurring therein, hereby designate August 1 to August 9, 2014, as "Minority Organ Donor Awareness Week" in Missouri; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the General Assembly encourages and recommends that people of the State of Missouri observe Minority Organ Donor Awareness Week through activities which will specifically address the need to increase awareness of organ donation by all ethnic groups and the need for organ donors. Such activities may include prayer breakfasts, health walks, and donor drives.
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