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To proclaim April as Donate Life Month in the City of Columbus and in so doing, this Council encourages each citizen to consider sharing the Gift of Life through organ, eye, and tissue donation.
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WHEREAS, Nearly 120,000 men, women, and children are currently awaiting a life-saving organ transplant in the United States; and
WHEREAS, Approximately 22 times a day a person dies for lack of an available organ; and
WHEREAS, in Ohio there are approximately 3,000 people awaiting an organ transplant at any one time; and
WHEREAS, in Central Ohio there are more than 625 men, women and children currently listed for an organ transplant at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center or Nationwide Children’s Hospital; 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, fascia, 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 this area; and
WHEREAS, On April 21, 2017 National Blue and Green Day, Lifeline of Ohio will be unveiling its new permanent and public Donor Memorial honoring those heroes who shared the Gift of Life through organ, eye and tissue donation and draw attention to the need for more registered donors to save and heal those who are waiting for their second chance at life; and
WHEREAS, More than 5.3 million Ohioans have made the important decision to register as an organ, eye and tissue donor in the Ohio Donor Registry; and
WHEREAS, The Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles makes it easy to register your advanced directive decision to become an organ or tissue donor on a driver license or state identification card, by signing up on-line at lifelineofohio.org or by filling out a paper registration form; and
WHEREAS, Discussing your wishes regarding donation is one of the most important additional steps a family can take; now therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
That the month of April 2017 is hereby proclaimed as Donate Life Month in the City of Columbus, and in so doing, this Council encourages each citizen to consider sharing the Gift of Life through organ, eye, and tissue donation.