HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 59 102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVE GRAY. 5692H.01I DANA RADEMAN MILLER, Chief Clerk
AN ACT Relating to minority organ donor awareness week.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the state of Missouri, as follows:
WHEREAS, with more than 118,000 people waiting for an organ donation and with 2 more than 7,000 people dying each year due to the lack of organs, public awareness of the 3 great need for organ donation is the key to increasing the number of organ donors and thereby 4 saving lives and improving the quality of life for recipients of organ donation; and 5 6 WHEREAS, approximately 30,000 people a year have begun new lives thanks to an 7 organ transplant. Organs and tissue from a single nonliving donor can be used to benefit 8 more than 50 people. Living donors can donate a kidney and parts of their liver, lung, 9 pancreas, or intestine, and can be evaluated to help a friend, family member, or even donate 10 anonymously to patients on the wait list; and 11 12 WHEREAS, promoting the need for organ and tissue donors and encouraging people 13 to become organ donors and tissue donors is vitally important to increase the number of lives 14 saved and changed for the better through organ donation; and 15 16 WHEREAS, while every person must be advised of their option to donate an organ, 17 special emphasis needs to be directed to minority organ donation, a potential donation 18 population that to date has not become donors in large numbers; and 19 20 WHEREAS, an intensive awareness campaign focused on obstacles related to 21 minorities and organ donation and which promotes healthy living and disease prevention to HCR 59 2
22 decrease the need for organ transplantation and reaches out to all ethnic groups is greatly 23 needed: 24 25 NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the members of the House of 26 Representatives of the One Hundred Second General Assembly, Second Regular Session, the 27 Senate concurring therein, hereby designate the first week of August as "Minority Organ 28 Donor Awareness Week" in Missouri; and 29 30 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the General Assembly encourages and 31 recommends that people of the State of Missouri observe Minority Organ Donor 32 Awareness Week through activities, which will specifically address the need to increase 33 awareness of organ donation by all ethnic groups and the need for organ donors. Such 34 activities may include prayer breakfasts, health walks, and donor drives; and 35 36 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this resolution be sent to the Governor for his 37 approval or rejection pursuant to the Missouri Constitution. ✔