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Recognizing April as National Donate Life Month in the City of Philadelphia and honoring the life-saving impact of organ, eye, and tissue donation, as well as celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Gift of Life Donor Program.
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WHEREAS, National Donate Life Month (NDLM) was established in 2003 by Donate Life America and its partnering organizations to raise awareness about organ, eye, and tissue donation and to encourage Americans to register as donors; and
WHEREAS, NDLM is observed each April to honor those who have saved lives through the gift of donation, recognize the ongoing need for donors, and inspire individuals to make the selfless decision to register as organ and tissue donors; and
WHEREAS, The need for organ donors remains a critical public health issue, with more than 100,000 people in the United States currently waiting for a life-saving transplant, and an average of 17 people dying each day while waiting for an organ; and
WHEREAS, Of the areas served by the Gift of Life Donor Program, approximately 5,000 people are awaiting transplants, including 1,218 residents of the City of Philadelphia. Among Philadelphia residents, 1,062 require a kidney transplant, largely due to diabetes and kidney disease conditions that disproportionately affect Black communities; and
WHEREAS, Philadelphia, a minority-majority city, faces stark disparities in organ transplantation, with African Americans making up 43.6% of the population but accounting for more than 71% of those awaiting a transplant. More than 80% of those on the transplant list are people of color, highlighting the urgent need for greater awareness, education, and action to address inequities in access to organ transplantation; and
WHEREAS, For 50 years, the Gift of Life Donor Program, a federally designated organ procurement organization serving eastern Pennsylvania, southern New Jersey, and Delaware, has played a critical role in coordinating organ and tissue donation, saving countless lives through transplantation; and
WHEREAS, Founded in 1974 and headquartered in Philadelphia, Gift of Life works with 124 acute care hospitals and 12 transplant centers in its region, as well as hundreds of transplant centers across the country, providing the most comprehensive array of services in the U.S. to the donation and transplantation community; and
WHEREAS, Since the establishment of the national donation system in 1988, Gift of Life has coordinated 14,860 organ donors and 41,140 organs for transplant, more than any other organ procurement organization (OPO) in the country; and
WHEREAS, Over the course of its 50 years of service, Gift of Life has coordinated more than 62,000 organs and more than two million tissue transplants, dramatically improving and saving lives; and
WHEREAS, Gift of Life's efforts continue to underscore the profound impact of donation, with a single organ donor able to save up to eight lives, and a tissue donor improving the lives of up to 100 others; and
WHEREAS, In celebration of its 50th anniversary, Gift of Life is rallying the community to sign up 50,000 new organ donors, aiming to bring hope to the thousands currently waiting for a transplant; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, THAT THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, hereby recognizes April as National Donate Life Month in the City of Philadelphia and celebrates the 50th anniversary of the Gift of Life Donor Program.
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