Commonwealth of Massachusetts
A Proclamation
His Excellency Governor Deval L. Patrick
Whereas Fragile X is the most common inherited cause of intellectual disability, affecting people of every race, income level, and nationality; and
Whereas One in every 260 women is a carrier and one in every 4,000 children is born with the Fragile X defect; and
Whereas Fragile X remains frequently undetected due to its recent discovery and the lack of awareness about the disease, even within the medical community, and typically requires a lifetime of special care at a cost of over $2,000,000; and
Whereas Fragile X research, both basic and applied, has the potential for the development of a cure, and may be a model for neuropsychiatric disorders, such as autism, schizophrenia, pervasive developmental disorders, and other forms of X-linked intellectual disability; and
Whereas Through public awareness the Commonwealth of Massachusetts seeks to provide an opportunity for all people to learn more about the causes and warning signs of this disorder, in order for it to be recognized early and treated effectively,
Now, Therefore, I, Deval L. Patrick, Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, do hereby proclaim July 22, 2012 to be,
Fragile X Awareness Day
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 twentieth day of July, in the year two thousand and twelve, and of the Independence of the United States of America, the two hundred and thirty-sixth.
By His Excellency
Deval L. Patrick
Governor of the Commonwealth
William Francis Galvin
Secretary of the Commonwealth
God Save the Commonwealth of Massachusetts