REFERENCE TITLE: living kidney donors day 2018

State of Arizona House of Representatives Fifty-third Legislature Second Regular Session 2018

HCR 2042

Introduced by Representative Carter

 

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

 

proclaiming march 8, 2018 as living kidney donors day in arizona.

 

 

(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)

 

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

Whereas, each year 90 people in Arizona die without receiving the life-saving transplant, and another 50 Arizonans are removed from the transplant wait 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 continues to steer an ill-fated destiny of these kidney patients; and

Whereas, the only hope for these kidney patients is to get their name to the top of the transplant wait list before it is too late; and

Whereas, living kidney donation can end the life-threatening wait by offering a better and longer quality of life to those in need, at the time of their need; and

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

Whereas, though a living donor must be healthy enough to qualify for donation, the donor does not have to be related by blood or even blood type-compatible with the recipient in a paired exchange program; 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 and extended the lives of more than 145,000 kidney transplant recipients, over 2,800 of whom received transplants in Arizona; and

Whereas, the number of living kidney donor transplants in Arizona has consistently dropped the last eight years, with the most significant decrease occurring in 2017, which reflects a 39% drop since 2009; and

Whereas, the TransplantFirst Academy advocates to increase awareness of and participation in living kidney donation, while supporting protections against insurance discrimination and recovery time off work by recognizing living kidney donors as selfless humanitarians who give chronic kidney disease patients hope for a better and longer life; and

Whereas, while living kidney donation is not for everyone and there are risks, those who participate should be celebrated for leading 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 8, 2018 as Living Kidney Donors Day in Arizona.

2.  That the Members of the Legislature acknowledge the commitment of organizations such as the TransplantFirst Academy, the National Kidney Foundation of Arizona and the Erma Bombeck Project for giving patients with kidney failure hope for a better tomorrow.

3.  That the Members of the Legislature honor the brave citizens of Arizona who have selflessly donated a kidney and saved a life as a living donor.