WHEREAS, the well-being of our children–our most precious commodity–is of paramount importance and maintaining excellent health among our children is one of the top priorities of the State of Idaho; and

        WHEREAS, each year there are more than 40,000 infants who are born with a congenital heart defect; and

        WHEREAS, congenital heart defects exist at the time of a child’s birth, and were originally thought to be a rare occurrence; today, the medical community has identified congenital heart defects as one of the most common birth defects and as the leading cause of defect-related deaths; and

        WHEREAS, medical research has identified more than 35 different types of congenital heart defects, unfortunately, due to the severity of the defect, failure to detect it in time, lack of heart transplant donors, and insufficient medical intervention options, many children and adults die as a result of congenital heart defects; and

        WHEREAS, until recently congenital heart defects were thought to be irreparable, but due to the medical community’s advances in knowledge and understanding of these types of disorders a great number of diagnoses are being made; and

        WHEREAS, through medical research, the origins and symptoms of congenital heart defects have become more identifiable, and the range of surgical options to correct them or alleviate their damaging effects has been expanded; and

        WHEREAS, it is crucial that parents, pediatricians, and all people who work in health professions have greater awareness of the potential for congenital heart defects among newborn babies;

        NOW, THEREFORE, I, DIRK KEMPTHORNE, Governor of the State of Idaho, do hereby proclaim February 14, 2006, to be

C O N G E N I T A L   H E A R T   D E F E C T   A W A R E N E S S   D A Y

in Idaho.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused to be affixed the Great Seal of the State of Idaho at the Capitol in Boise on this fourteenth day of February in the year of our Lord two-thousand and six and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred thirtieth and of the Statehood of Idaho the one hundred sixteenth.

BEN YSURSA
SECRETARY OF STATE