Congenital Heart Defect Awareness Week

Commonwealth of Massachusetts
A Proclamation
His Excellency Governor Deval L. Patrick

Whereas Congenital Heart Defects are structural problems with the heart present at birth. The defects can range from “holes” between the chambers of the heart to severe malformations such as an absence of one or more chambers of valves; and

Whereas Congenital Heart Defects are the most frequently occurring birth defect and the leading cause of birth defect-related deaths in the United States; and

Whereas According to the American Heart Association, 1,000,000 Americans have Congenital Heart Defects and approximately 40,000 babies are born with it each year; and

Whereas Some Congenital Heart Defects are not diagnosed until months or years after birth. Undiagnosed conditions can cause many cases of sudden cardiac death in young athletes; and

Whereas Through public awareness, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts seeks to minimize the devastating effects of the illness among all Massachusetts citizens,

Now, Therefore, I, Deval L. Patrick, Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, do hereby proclaim February 7th – 14th, 2012, to be

Congenital  Heart Defect Awareness Week

And urge all the citizens of the Commonwealth to take cognizance of this event and participate fittingly in its observance.

Given at the Executive Chamber in Boston, this seventh day of February, in the year two thousand and twelve, and of the Independence of the United States of America, the two hundred and thirty-fifth.

By His Excellency                  
Deval L. Patrick
Governor of the Commonwealth

William Francis Galvin
Secretary of the Commonwealth

God Save the Commonwealth of Massachusetts