Title
To declare April 2013 to be Donate Life Month in Columbus, and to encourage all residents to consider sharing the gift of life through organ, eye and tissue donation.
Body
WHEREAS, More than 117,000 men, women, and children are currently awaiting a life-saving organ transplant in the United States, including more than 3,400 Ohioans awaiting an organ transplant at any one time; and
WHEREAS, a single donor can potentially save the lives of eight people through organ donation by donating their heart, lungs, liver, pancreas, kidneys and small intestine, and enhance the lives of more than 50 others through tissue donation by donating corneas, veins, heart valves, bone, skins, tendons, ligaments and nerves; and
WHEREAS, Lifeline of Ohio is the designated organ procurement organization dedicated to promoting and coordinating the donation of organs and tissue for transplantation in our community; and
WHEREAS, Linkages to Life: Organ Tissue and Bone Marrow Donation Awareness Program is an annual church-based initiative sponsored by The Links, Incorporated to encourage more African Americans to consider organ, tissue and bone marrow donation; and
WHEREAS, April has been proclaimed Donate Life Month both nationally and locally; and
WHEREAS, April 19, 2013, has been selected as National Blue and Green Day, which encourages supporters of organ, eye and tissue donation to wear shades of blue and green to draw attention to the need for more registered donors; now, therefore
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
That we hereby declare April 2013 to be Donate Life Month in Columbus, and encourage all residents to consider sharing the gift of life through organ, eye and tissue donation.