[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 24 (Tuesday, February 27, 1996)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1317-S1318]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        NATIONAL EYE DONOR MONTH

  Mr. DeWINE. Mr. President, next month, March 1996, is National Eye 
Donor Month. The purpose of National Eye Donor Month is to alert 
individual Americans to a terrific opportunity each one of us has to 
make a real difference in someone else's life.
  Many Americans do not realize that they have it in their power to 
give someone else the ability to see, but it is true; each one of us 
does. If we declare now that after our passing, we want our eyes to be 
donated to an eye bank, then these eyes can become someone else's gift 
of sight. What a great opportunity. Indeed, what a great 
responsibility, one that all of us and our families should take very 
seriously.
  According to the most recent statistics, over 6,000 Americans are 
waiting for corneal transplants--6,000 today awaiting an operation that 
can restore the gift of sight. These Americans 

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could have this operation today if only there were enough donated eyes 
available.
  The purpose of National Eye Donor Month is simply to remind all 
Americans that we can make those corneas available. Every year 
thousands of Americans donate their eyes to eye banks. In 1994, over 
95,000 eyes were donated and over 43,000 transplants were actually 
performed.
  Mr. President, these numbers need some explaining. Those figures seem 
to reflect a pretty substantial disparity, but there is a good reason 
for it--a very strict screening process that keeps out those who test 
positive for HIV, those who have hepatitis, and those with unhealthy 
cells on their corneas. Those are just a few of the reasons why many 
corneas are unsuitable for transplantation. But the corneas from these 
donors are, in fact, actually used for a good purpose. They are used in 
other very important ways. They are used for research in surgical 
training and other medical education. It is because of this screening 
process I have just described that eye transplant operations have such 
an incredible success rate--better than a 90-percent success.

  This screening process and this rate of success, however, require a 
greater number of donations. If we could increase the number of eyes 
donated to eye banks, we could take care of the 6,668 patients who are 
still waiting for corneal transplants today as well as the 40,000-odd 
people who join their ranks every single year.
  As I said, this kind of surgery really does work. In the 35 years 
since the founding of the Eye Bank Association of America, EBAA member 
eye banks have made possible over half a million corneal transplants.
  There simply are not enough eye donors. The only solution is public 
education--making the American people aware of what we can do to help. 
That is what National Eye Donor Month is all about. In March 1996, let 
us recommit ourselves as a nation to giving the gift of sight to some 
of our fellow citizens who stand in need.
  Let me conclude on a personal note. In August 1993, our 22-year-old 
daughter Becky was killed. My wife and I and our children had never 
discussed the issue of organ donation, and when Fran and I were at the 
hospital and were asked to donate Becky's eyes, we said ``yes.'' We 
said ``yes'' because we knew that is what our daughter would have 
wanted us to do. Becky was a loving and caring person. She cared very 
deeply about other people.
  I encourage all families to discuss with their family members this 
very important issue because by donating the eyes of a loved one or 
making arrangements that your own eyes can be donated, some good can 
come out of what to us was life's most horrible tragedy.
  Again I call the Members' attention to National Eye Donor Month, 
which is March of this year, and ask that we all renew our dedication 
to increasing the number of donations, the number of eyes that are 
available so that more people could see. Thank you very much, Mr. 
President.
  Mr. BOND addressed the Chair.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Missouri.
  Mr. BOND. Mr. President, I commend my distinguished colleague from 
Ohio on his very moving, very touching appeal, certainly one that I 
think is extremely important for all of us. While our hearts and our 
sympathies go out to him and his lovely wife in their loss, we do 
commend them for using this opportunity to assist others.
  (The remarks of Mr. Bond pertaining to the introduction of S. 1574 
are located in today's Record under ``Statements on Introduced Bills 
and Joint Resolutions.'')

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