R 230
2021 -- S 0857
Enacted 05/04/2021

S E N A T E   R E S O L U T I O N
RECOGNIZING APRIL OF 2021 AS "DONATE LIFE MONTH" IN THE STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

Introduced By: Senator Dawn M. Euer
Date Introduced: April 28, 2021

     WHEREAS, Since 2003, the month of April has been celebrated as National Donate Life
Month, during which local, state, and national activities are held in order to educate and
encourage individuals to register as donors; and
     WHEREAS, Organ donation and transplantation saves lives. Globally, a person is added
to the national transplant waiting list every ten minutes which currently has approximately
113,000 individuals awaiting an organ donation; and
     WHEREAS, Organ donation from a single deceased donor can benefit up to eight
individuals, and living kidney and liver donors provide transplant candidates with the chance to
live longer; and
     WHEREAS, Despite over 130 million people being registered as organ, eye, and tissue
donors, the need for donated organs far outweighs the supply and sadly, an average of twenty
people die each day while waiting for a transplant; and
     WHEREAS, New England Donor Services (NEDS) oversees and coordinates the entire
donation process for thousands of families in our region each year; and
     WHEREAS, In addition, NEDS works with nearly 200 hospitals and screens nearly
50,000 potential donors; and
     WHEREAS, In 2019, 346 patients from Rhode Island Hospital and Hasbro Children’s
Hospital met criteria for referral to NEDS for potential organ donation and ultimately 22 patients
were able to help 72 people waiting for a life-saving organ transplant; and
     WHEREAS, The Rhode Island Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) has partnered with
Donate Life New England, a program offered through the New England Organ Bank, that allows
drivers a fast and easy way to make their donation decision known; and
      WHEREAS, Currently, 99 percent of all people who identify themselves as an organ &
tissue donor do so at the RI DMV; and
     WHEREAS, Making the decision to become an organ donor is ultimately and
munificently choosing to give the gift of life; now, therefore be it
     RESOLVED, That this Senate of the State of Rhode Island hereby celebrates April of
2021 as "Donate Life Month" and urges all Rhode Islanders to register as organ donors; and be it
further
     RESOLVED, That this Senate hereby recognizes New England Donor Services and the
Rhode Island Department of Motor Vehicles for the critical role they play in organ donations; and
be it further
     RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to
transmit duly certified copies of this resolution to Alex Glazier, President & CEO of New
England Donor Services, and Walter R. Craddock, Administrator of the Rhode Island Department
of Motor Vehicles.
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LC002751
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