2015 Senate Joint Resolution 77
ENROLLED JOINT RESOLUTION
Relating to: proclaiming January 2016 as National Blood Donor Month in Wisconsin.
Whereas, every two seconds, someone in the U.S. needs blood; and
Whereas, more than 70,000 Americans are affected by sickle cell disease, which often requires frequent blood transfusions to treat throughout their lifetimes; and
Whereas, 1.6 million Americans were diagnosed with cancer last year alone, many of whom will need blood, sometimes daily, during chemotherapy; and
Whereas, there is always a need for more blood, because it needs to be ready for accident victims, women undergoing childbirth, and surgical patients, and blood can be stored for only 42 days; and
Whereas, in August 2015, the American Red Cross issued an urgent call to donors to continue to give blood, citing an impending shortage of their most-needed blood types; and
Whereas, according to the American Red Cross, while 38% of the American population is eligible to donate blood, less than 10% actually do so each year; and
Whereas, one of the most common reasons people give for not donating blood is that they "never thought about it"; and
Whereas, proclaiming January 2016 as National Blood Donor Month would spread awareness of the need for donating blood, encouraging donation at a time when the American medical community needs it more than ever; now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the senate, the assembly concurring, That the legislature hereby proclaims January 2016 as National Blood Donor Month.
