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Resolution recognizing the month of April 2009 as National Donate Life Month.
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WHEREAS, there are currently over 4,700 Illinois residents on a national waiting list of over 97,000 people that could die if they do not receive lifesaving organ transplants; the types of organ transplants needed include kidney, kidney-pancreas, heart, liver, lung, heart-lung, pancreas, and intestine; and
WHEREAS, every 13 minutes, a new person is added to the national waiting list, which is equal to about 110 people per day. Each day an average of 18 people die waiting for transplantable organs; and
WHEREAS, in 2008, more than 6,000 people died waiting for an organ transplant, and more than 300 of them were from Illinois; and
WHEREAS, over 25,000 organ transplants are performed annually nationwide from both deceased and living organ donors; and
WHEREAS, just as important as organ donation is the donation of lifesaving and life-enhancing tissue, including corneas, bone, skin, heart valves, ligaments, tendons and major blood vessels. It is estimated that one in 20 Americans will need some type of medical tissue transplant during a lifetime. More than 1,000,000 tissue transplants are performed each year in the United States, about 2,400 a day; and
WHEREAS, the need for life-giving donation also includes donations of blood and bone marrow. Every three seconds, donated blood is needed to sustain the life of a patient- whether an accident victim, a patient undergoing surgery, or a patient receiving treatment for leukemia, cancer or another disease; and
WHEREAS, nationally, only about 60% of families asked to donate consent to do so, and only about 8% of the need for transplantable tissue is currently being met.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Lake County Board recognizes that phenomenal medical breakthroughs continue every day within the transplant field due to the dedication of transplant professionals and the generosity of donors and their families; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Lake County Board also recognizes that education is the first step to increasing the number of families that choose to give the ultimate gift, the gift of life through the donation of a life saving transplant, as one donor is capable of saving and enhancing the lives of more than 25 people; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Lake County Board joins the Illinois Coalition on Donation in observing the nation’s third annual National Donate Life Month in April 2009.
DATED, at Waukegan, Lake County, Illinois on this 14th day of April, A.D., 2009.