Senate Resolution No. 868

BY: Senator KENNEDY

COMMEMORATING the 10th Anniversary of the UNYTS
Community Blood Center in Buffalo, New York

WHEREAS, It is the custom of this Legislative Body to recognize
those institutions with the State of New York which provide outstanding
medical care and vital services to meet the healthcare needs of their
patients; and

WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its
long-standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to
commemorate the 10th Anniversary of the UNYTS Community Blood Center;
and

WHEREAS, Located in downtown Buffalo, UNYTS was founded in 1981 as
the Organ Procurement Agency of Western New York, and merged with the
Buffalo Eye Bank in 1993 to form what is known today as UNYTS;
currently, this vital organization is led by President and CEO Mark
Simon and the Chair of the Board of Directors, David Carlson; and

WHEREAS, In response to hospitals requesting a cost-effective
alternative for purchasing blood, UNYTS created its Community Blood
Services where blood has been collected, processed and distributed
locally, saving local hospitals over $10 million since its inception in
2007; and

WHEREAS, Over the past 10 years, UNYTS has received contributions of
blood and plate blood, platelet, and plasma from over 187,000 donors; in
addition, it has sponsored 848 blood drives, distributing over 45,000
blood, platelet, and plasma products into the local community; and

WHEREAS, UNYTS is one of eight centers nationwide to house organ,
tissue and eye procurement in one location, and the only community blood
bank in Western New York; it works with local hospitals including
Kaleida Health, ECMC, Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center, Eastern
Niagara Health Systems, and Wyoming County to ensure their needs are
met; and

WHEREAS, In 2016, UNYTS was the recipient of the National Disease
Research Interchange (NDRI) Award for Outstanding Research Donation
Partner; the two organizations have been partners for two decades and
have collaborated their bio specimens to be used for NDRI's Rare Disease
Initiative, which has done research on Cancer, Pancreatic Islet and HIV;
and

WHEREAS, Along with NDRI, UNYTS has partnered with other research
facilities such as Roswell Park Center Institute, Jacobs Neurological
Institute, Ross Eye Institute, SUNY Upstate Medical University and the
University at Buffalo; and

WHEREAS, Venerable and trustworthy institutions, tending to the
needs of the community and its citizenry, represent the threads from
which the fabric of society is woven, and so now is this Legislative
Body moved to recognize the beneficent good works of UNYTS Community

Blood Center, anticipating its future of continued growth in quality and
personalized care; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
commemorate the 10th Anniversary of the UNYTS Community Blood Center in
Buffalo; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be
transmitted to Mark Simon, President/ CEO and David Carlson, Chair of
the Board of Directors, UNYTS Community Blood Center.