ACR 122, as introduced, Beth Gaines. Bone Marrow Donation Awareness Month.
This measure would designate the month of May 2014 as Bone Marrow Donation Awareness Month.
Fiscal committee: no.
P1 1WHEREAS, Since 1987, when Congress authorized the
2establishment of a national registry of volunteer bone marrow
3donors, the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP) has
4facilitated more than 40,000 marrow and cord blood transplants;
5and
6WHEREAS, The NMDP states that the number of transplants
7facilitated through the national registry is “only a fraction of the
8people who can benefit”; and
9WHEREAS, One of the leading hurdles cited in a report by the
10Government Accountability Office is locating a suitably matched,
11unrelated donor; a process that is often difficult, time-consuming,
12and costly; and
13WHEREAS, Patients will deteriorate, develop major
14complications, or die while awaiting potential donors; and
P2 1WHEREAS, The most prevalent problem with respect to bone
2marrow donation is the continued disparity in the number of
3racially and ethnically diverse donors. Of the more than eight
4million potential donors on the registry, only 26 percent are donors
5from racially and ethnically diverse backgrounds; and
6WHEREAS, There is a need to enhance the understanding of
7the importance of bone marrow donation, and to encourage
8Californians to participate in bone marrow donation drives; and
9WHEREAS, The NMDP operates the Be The Match Registry,
10the world’s largest and most diverse registry of potential bone
11marrow donors; and
12WHEREAS, There is a need to support programs that reduce
13search time for patients and fully type donors whose tissue
14compatibility types are less common; and
15WHEREAS, The bone marrow registration process is simple.
16It only takes a few minutes and requires a cheek swab; now,
17therefore, be it
18Resolved by the Assembly of the State of California, the Senate
19thereof concurring, That the Legislature designates May 2014 as
20Bone Marrow Donation Awareness Month; and be it further
21Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies
22of this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.
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