Hydrocephalus Awareness Month and Hydrocephalus Awareness Day.pdf
HYDROCEPHALUS AWARENESS MONTH
AND
HYDROCEPHALUS AWARENESS DAY
2024
BY THE GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA
A PROCLAMATION
WHEREAS, hydrocephalus is a condition in which excessive accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid in the brain results in abnormal widening of the ventricles for which there is no known cure, and this condition creates harmful pressure on the tissues of the brain that can be fatal if left untreated; and
WHEREAS, the two primary types of hydrocephalus are congenital hydrocephalus, which is present at birth and may be caused by genetic abnormalities during fetal development, and acquired hydrocephalus, which can develop at the time of birth or any age thereafter and may be caused by injury or disease; and
WHEREAS, two other forms of hydrocephalus, primarily affecting adults, are ex-vacuo, which occurs when a stroke or traumatic injury causes damage to the brain, and normal pressure hydrocephalus, which is most common among older adults and often has no known cause; and
WHEREAS, experts estimate that this condition affects more than a million Americans, or 1 in every 770 infants; approximately 800,000 of those cases are older Americans; and
WHEREAS, the only treatment for hydrocephalus is brain surgery, in which a shunt system is inserted to divert the flow of cerebrospinal fluid to another area of the body where it can be absorbed as part of the normal circulatory process; and
WHEREAS, hydrocephalus poses risks to both cognitive and physical development and often requires multiple brain surgeries over a lifetime; children diagnosed with the disorder can benefit from early intervention programs, rehabilitation therapies, and educational interventions; and
WHEREAS, in 2009, the United States Congress passed a resolution designating September as National Hydrocephalus Awareness Month; and
WHEREAS, the State of North Carolina joins the Hydrocephalus Association, all other concerned organizations, individuals, agencies, and businesses in raising public awareness of this condition to increase understanding and build support for those and their families affected by hydrocephalus in our community;
NOW, THEREFORE, I, ROY COOPER, Governor of the State of North Carolina, do hereby proclaim September, 2024, as “HYDROCEPHALUS AWARENESS MONTH” and September 1, 2024, as “HYDROCEPHALUS AWARENESS DAY” in North Carolina, and commend its observance to all citizens.
________________________________________
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 twentieth day of August 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-ninth.