Senate Resolution No. 2966

BY: Senator COMRIE

MEMORIALIZING Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to proclaim
August 1, 2017, as Minority Donor Awareness Day in
the State of New York

WHEREAS, It is the custom of this Legislative Body to recognize
official days that are set aside to increase awareness of serious issues
that affect the lives of citizens of New York State and across the
Nation; and

WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its
long-standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to
memorialize Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to proclaim August 1, 2017, as
Minority Donor Awareness Day in the State of New York, in conjunction
with the observance of National Minority Donor Awareness Day; and

WHEREAS, Organ, tissue and eye donation is important to everyone but
can sometimes be of even greater concern to the minority community; and

WHEREAS, August 1st celebrates National Minority Donor Awareness Day
and is an ideal time to consider giving the gift of life by making a
commitment to be an organ, tissue and eye donor; and

WHEREAS, Because some diseases of the kidney, heart, lung, pancreas
and liver are found more frequently in racial and ethnic minority
populations than in the general population, minorities are much more
likely than Caucasians to need life-saving transplants; and

WHEREAS, More than 100,000 men, women and children in the United
States are waiting for a life-saving organ, and half of those on the
waiting list are minority patients; and

WHEREAS, While race is not a limiting determinant in donations,
transplant success rates increase when organs are matched between
members of the same ethnic and racial group; lower donation rates among
minorities can result in longer waiting periods for transplants for
minority organ recipients; and

WHEREAS, One out of 20 Americans will need a tissue transplant in
his or her lifetime; donated tissues such as skin, bone and heart valves
are used to treat burn victims, increase strength, restore mobility and
improve the quality of life for approximately 1 million patients each
year; and

WHEREAS, Tissue is a special gift that can be shared among all
populations; a minority donor's tissue may benefit a patient of another
race, and a minority patient may receive tissue from a donor of another
race; and

WHEREAS, The commitment to donate tissue is part of the focus during
National Minority Donor Awareness Day, observed August 1 each year to
raise awareness of the importance of donation among minority
populations; and

WHEREAS, It is imperative that there be greater awareness of this
serious health condition, and more must be done to increase activity at
the local, State and National levels; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
memorialize Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to proclaim August 1, 2017, as
Minority Donor Awareness Day in the State of New York; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be
transmitted to The Honorable Andrew M. Cuomo, Governor of the State of
New York.