Assembly Resolution No. 107

BY: M. of A. Gunther

        MEMORIALIZING  Governor  Kathy  Hochul to proclaim
        February 14, 2023, as A Day for  Hearts:  Congenital
        Heart Defect Awareness Day in the State of New York

  WHEREAS,  This  Legislative  Body  is  justly  proud  to memorialize
Governor Kathy Hochul to proclaim  February  14,  2023,  as  A  Day  for
Hearts:  Congenital Heart Defect Awareness Day in the State of New York,
in  conjunction  with  Congenital  Heart Defect Awareness Week, February
7-14, 2023, an annual awareness effort that  helps  educate  the  public
about Congenital Heart Defects; and

  WHEREAS, Congenital Heart Defects (CHD) are those existing at birth;
about  36,000  children  born have some kind of defect of the heart, and
about 1.8 million families in the United States are affected by CHD; and

  WHEREAS, With familiarity of the disorder, more diagnoses are  being
made  of  what was not long ago thought to be an extremely rare disorder
and not repairable; and

  WHEREAS, CHD is among the most common birth defects, about nine  out
of every 1,000 infants born each year have a defect of the heart, and is
the leading cause of defect-related deaths; and

  WHEREAS,  Many  children  born  with CHDs continue to die due to the
severity of the defect, the heart defect not being detected in  time,  a
lack of donor hearts, or failure of the use of medical intervention; and

  WHEREAS, CHD is being researched by numerous professionals, at least
35  defects are now recognized, in order to more accurately describe its
origin, physical signs and symptoms and surgical options;  however,  the
amount of funding for education, research, and support is small; and

  WHEREAS,  It is imperative that there be greater public awareness of
this serious health issue  so  that  early  diagnosis  and  intervention
become a top priority, and more must be done to increase activity at the
local,  State  and national levels to support and protect our youth, our
most precious resource, as well as their families; now, therefore, be it

  RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its  deliberations  to
memorialize  Governor  Kathy  Hochul to proclaim February 14, 2023, as A
Day for Hearts: Congenital Heart Defect Awareness Day in  the  State  of
New York; and be it further

  RESOLVED,  That  a  copy  of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be
transmitted to The Honorable Kathy Hochul, Governor of the State of  New
York.