Governor Proclaims Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia Awareness Month 2024

CONGENITAL DIAPHRAGMATIC HERNIA AWARENESS MONTH

2024

BY THE GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA

A PROCLAMATION

WHEREAS, a congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) is a birth defect that occurs during fetal development where the muscles in the diaphragm do not grow together, leaving a hole in an infant’s diaphragm that allows intestines and other organs to move up to the baby’s chest, which can ultimately prevent lung growth and result in respiratory complications; and

WHEREAS, approximately 1 in every 2,500 babies in the United States is diagnosed with a CDH, and

more than 1,600 babies are affected by CDH every year in the United States, with only about half surviving past infancy; and

WHEREAS, while CDH is as common as spina bifida and cystic fibrosis, it is not as well-known; and

WHEREAS, those with CDH often endure multiple surgeries and possible medical complications, including pulmonary complications, gastric and intestinal problems, and developmental delays, and also may require respiratory and medicinal support for years; and

WHEREAS, raising awareness of this congenital defect can help increase acceptance and support for those suffering with CDH and their families, and bring attention to the urgent need for research and discovery of medical advances to help prevent and treat this birth defect;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, ROY COOPER, Governor of the State of North Carolina, do hereby proclaim April, 2024, as “CONGENITAL DIAPHRAGMATIC HERNIA AWARENESS MONTH” in North Carolina, and commend its observance to all citizens.

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Roy Cooper

Governor

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the Great Seal of the State of North Carolina at the Capitol in Raleigh this twenty-seventh day of March in the year of our Lord two thousand and twenty-four and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-eighth.