SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 681 WHEREAS, The Senate of the State of Texas is pleased to join the Texas Kidney Foundation and Texans across the state in recognizing April 30, 2017, as Living Kidney Donors Day in Texas; and WHEREAS, More than 60,000 Texans are faced with kidney failure, and more than 48,000 Texans currently rely on dialysis treatments for kidney failure; the optimal treatment for kidney failure is kidney transplantation, and studies have shown that living donors provide the highest-functioning and longest-lasting kidneys; and WHEREAS, The number of available kidneys falls well short of the need; today, more than 8,800 patients in Texas are on a kidney transplant waiting list, while in the last year, only 1,724 lifesaving kidney transplants were performed across the state; and WHEREAS, With nearly a third of adults in the country at risk for kidney disease, it is truly fitting that a day be set aside to raise public awareness of living kidney donation and to pay tribute to the men and women who have stepped forward and donated a kidney so that another's life might be saved; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 85th Legislature, hereby commend the Texas Kidney Foundation on its exemplary work on behalf of those awaiting a kidney transplant and extend to the organization best wishes for a productive and rewarding Living Kidney Donors Day; and, be it further RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared in honor of this special occasion. Buckingham ________________________________ President of the Senate I hereby certify that the above Resolution was adopted by the Senate on April 26, 2017. ________________________________ Secretary of the Senate ________________________________ Member, Texas Senate