[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 77 (Wednesday, April 22, 1998)]
[Presidential Documents]
[Pages 19795-19796]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-10852]


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  Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 77 / Wednesday, April 22, 1998 / 
Presidential Documents  

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 Title 3--
 The President

[[Page 19795]]

                Proclamation 7083 of April 17, 1998

                
National Organ and Tissue Donor Awareness Week, 
                1998

                By the President of the United States of America

                A Proclamation

                On December 1, 1997, 14-year-old Nicole Hadley was 
                killed when a classmate opened fire inside her high 
                school in Paducah, Kentucky. When doctors told Gwen and 
                Chuck Hadley that their daughter had no hope for 
                recovery, her parents remembered that Nicole believed 
                strongly in organ donation, and in the midst of their 
                own intense grief, the Hadleys made the courageous 
                decision to honor Nicole's wishes and donate her 
                organs. This decision helped to save the lives of at 
                least two people and allowed Nicole's spirit of grace 
                and generosity to live on after her death.

                Thousands of families have made the same selfless 
                decision and have given the gift of life to someone in 
                need of an organ or tissue transplantation. Today, 
                approximately 55,000 Americans are on the national 
                organ transplant waiting list, hoping for a second 
                chance. Yet, every day, 10 people will die because 
                organs are not available. These tragic deaths are 
                unnecessary. Our country has a large number of people 
                who qualify as organ donors--but many still have not 
                chosen to become donors.

                Last year, to help remedy this situation, Vice 
                President Gore, with the Department of Health and Human 
                Services, launched the National Organ and Tissue 
                Donation Initiative to increase awareness of the urgent 
                need for increased donation. We are working to ensure 
                that all Americans know that by completing and carrying 
                a donor card--and by making their families aware of 
                their decision to donate--they may give the gift of 
                life to other Americans or ease their suffering. And 
                families who have lost their loved ones can gain solace 
                in knowing that they have been able to bring life and 
                comfort to others. This week, I encourage all Americans 
                to honor the memory of Nicole Hadley--and the thousands 
                of other generous people who have donated their 
                organs--by learning more about the benefits of becoming 
                an organ and tissue donor and by filling out a donor 
                card.

                NOW, THEREFORE, I, WILLIAM J. CLINTON, President of the 
                United States of America, by virtue of the authority 
                vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the United 
                States, do hereby proclaim April 19 through April 25, 
                1998, as National Organ and Tissue Donor Awareness 
                Week. I urge all health care professionals, educators, 
                the media, public and private organizations concerned 
                with organ donation and transplantation, the clergy, 
                and all Americans to join me in promoting greater 
                awareness and acceptance of this humanitarian action.

[[Page 19796]]

                IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this 
                seventeenth day of April, in the year of our Lord 
                nineteen hundred and ninety-eight, and of the 
                Independence of the United States of America the two 
                hundred and twenty-second.

                    (Presidential Sig.)

[FR Doc. 98-10852
Filed 4-21-98; 8:45 am]
Billing code 3195-01-P