REFERENCE TITLE: living kidney donors day

State of Arizona House of Representatives Fifty-third Legislature First Regular Session 2017

HCR 2019

Introduced by Representative Carter

 

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

 

proclaiming March 20, 2017 as Living Kidney Donors Day in Arizona.

 

(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)

 

Whereas, more than 2,000 people in Arizona and 100,000 people nationwide are in need of a kidney transplant; and

Whereas, approximately 70 Arizonans who have been waiting for a kidney transplant die each year without receiving one; and

Whereas, another 50 Arizonans are removed from the waiting list each year due to advanced illness caused by the long, unpredictable wait for a deceased donor's kidney; and

Whereas, our nation's organ shortage dictates the destiny of these kidney patients; and

Whereas, their only hope is to get their name to the top of the list before it is too late; and

Whereas, living kidney donation (LKD) can end this life-threatening wait; and

Whereas, most healthy people do not realize they can impact someone's life by donating one of their two kidneys to someone in need; and

Whereas, though a living donor needs to be healthy enough to qualify for LKD, he or she does not have to be blood-related to or even blood-type compatible with the recipient; and

Whereas, the majority of those who donate go on to live full and vibrant lives; and

Whereas, to date, living kidney donors have successfully improved outcomes for more than 144,500 kidney transplant recipients, 2,860 of whom received transplants in Arizona; and

Whereas, the number of LKD transplants in Arizona has dropped by 42 percent since 2010; and

Whereas, the TransplantFirst Academy is committed to increasing awareness and improving lives by recognizing living kidney donors who give kidney patients hope for a better tomorrow; and

Whereas, while LKD is not for everyone and there are risks, those who participate lead the way in this remarkable life-saving opportunity.

Therefore

Be it resolved by the House of Representatives of the State of Arizona, the Senate concurring:

1.  That the Members of the Legislature proclaim March 20, 2017 as Living Kidney Donors Day in Arizona.

2.  That the Members of the Legislature acknowledge the commitment of TransplantFirst Academy and other similar organizations to giving kidney patients hope for a better tomorrow.

3.  That the Members of the Legislature recognize the brave citizens of Arizona who have donated a kidney as a living donor.