Declare Blood Donor Month

Senate Resolution No. 223 BY: Senator HANNON MEMORIALIZING Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to proclaim January 2017, as Blood Donor Awareness Month in the State of New York WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body to memorialize Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to proclaim January 2017, as Blood Donor Awareness Month in the State of New York, in conjunction with the observance of National Blood Donor Month; and WHEREAS, Charles R. Drew, MD is credited as the "Father of the Blood Bank" due to his efforts in developing techniques for storing blood in the late 1930s; and WHEREAS, In 1941, under the leadership of Dr. Charles R. Drew, the American Red Cross began the National Blood Donor Service to collect blood for the U.S. military; and WHEREAS, The American Red Cross provides approximately 40 percent of the nation's blood supply; and WHEREAS, Blood Services offered by the American Red Cross serve more than 2,600 hospitals throughout the United States; and WHEREAS, Nearly 7,000 units of platelets and 10,000 units of plasma are now needed daily in the United States; and WHEREAS, In 2016, approximately 6.8 million people generously gave blood or blood components to the American Red Cross; and WHEREAS, Thousands of nurses are involved in paid and volunteer capacities participating on blood collection teams; and WHEREAS, The number one reason donors say they give blood is because they want to help others; and WHEREAS, These selfless volunteers have helped to save the lives of millions of Americans by donating blood, plasma or platelets; and WHEREAS, Blood Donor Awareness Month is a time to recognize all those outstanding individuals who have contributed so much to the advancement of blood donation, most particularly, to acknowledge and express our deepest gratitude to those who donate their blood for their extraordinary generosity in giving the gift of life; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to memorialize Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to proclaim January 2017, as Blood Donor Awareness Month in the State of New York; and be it further RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be transmitted to The Honorable Andrew M. Cuomo, Governor of the State of New York.