By Naishtat H.C.R. No. 61 76R5776 WMS-F HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 1-1 WHEREAS, Hospice care emerged in the United States during the 1-2 1970s by combining the benefits of modern medicine with the dignity 1-3 of the natural dying process to provide terminally ill patients the 1-4 opportunity to live their final days in dignity; and 1-5 WHEREAS, There are more than 3,000 hospices in the United 1-6 States, served by 25,000 health care professionals and more than 1-7 100,000 volunteers, that have provided care to more than one 1-8 million Americans; and 1-9 WHEREAS, More than 150 licensed hospices now serve Texans in 1-10 communities throughout the state, bringing hospice care to tens of 1-11 thousands of state residents; and 1-12 WHEREAS, In addition to managing medical care, hospices also 1-13 provide for the emotional and spiritual needs of patients and their 1-14 families through such support services as bereavement programs, 1-15 memorial services, and counseling; and 1-16 WHEREAS, Hospices furnish care to more than half of all 1-17 terminally ill cancer patients, as well as individuals coping with 1-18 heart and kidney disease, AIDS, and Alzheimer's disease; and 1-19 WHEREAS, The United States Postal Service has issued a 1-20 commemorative "Hospice Care" first class stamp in recognition of 1-21 the many patients, patient families, volunteers, and health care 1-22 professionals whose lives have been touched by the high quality, 1-23 compassionate care made available through hospice programs; and 1-24 WHEREAS, A celebration of the issuance of the "Hospice Care" 2-1 stamp will be held on the south steps of the Texas State Capitol on 2-2 Tuesday, February 9, 1999, at 11 a.m., to which all supporters of 2-3 hospice are cordially invited; now, therefore, be it 2-4 RESOLVED, That the 76th Legislature of the State of Texas 2-5 hereby designate February 9, 1999, as "Texas Hospice Day" in honor 2-6 of Texas hospice patients and their families and the hospice 2-7 program's health care professionals and volunteers who serve them.