HOUSE JOINT MEMORIAL 25

50th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2011

INTRODUCED BY

Tim D. Lewis

A JOINT MEMORIAL

RECOGNIZING THE NEED FOR NEW MEXICANS TO SAVE LIVES THROUGH BLOOD, MARROW AND ORGAN TISSUE AND EYE DONATIONS AND REQUESTING THAT FEBRUARY 14, 2011 BE DECLARED "GIFT OF LIFE DONOR DAY" AT THE LEGISLATURE.

     WHEREAS, individuals can be heroes during their lifetimes through the gift of blood, marrow and living organ donation and can leave a legacy of life after death through the gift of organ, eye and tissue donation; and

     WHEREAS, over six hundred fifty New Mexicans are currently awaiting life-saving organ transplants on the national waiting list of one hundred ten thousand patients, and every day nineteen people on the list die due to the lack of organ donors; and

     WHEREAS, thousands of New Mexicans will need tissue transplants this year, such as corneas to restore sight, bone or tissue grafts to restore health and mobility and skin grafts to heal burns; and

     WHEREAS, three hundred twenty blood donations are needed each day in New Mexico and one out of three New Mexicans will need blood sometime in their lifetime, yet only five percent of the population gives blood; and

     WHEREAS, eight hundred patients were diagnosed with leukemia or other diseases in New Mexico last year that could benefit from a marrow transplant, and seventy percent will rely on the national marrow donor registry to find a match; and

     WHEREAS, February 14, 2011 is recognized as "National Donor Day";

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that Valentine's day, a day of friendship and love, be remembered as a day to express love by saving someone's life through the gift of donation and requesting that February 14, 2011 be declared "Gift of Life Donor Day" at the legislature; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the legislature encourage all New Mexicans to make a commitment to give the gift of life and help others in need by making an appointment to donate blood three times a year, registering to be a marrow donor on the national registry at www.marrow.org and signing up to be an organ and tissue donor on their New Mexico driver's license or identification card, or on the new donate life organ and tissue donor registry at www.NMdonor.org.

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