Fabry Disease Awareness Month

By virtue of the authority vested by the Constitution of Virginia in the Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia, there is hereby officially recognized:

WHEREAS, Fabry disease is a progressive, multisystem inherited disorder that causes children and adults to suffer many symptoms that diminish their quality of life and may lead to premature death due to heart attacks, strokes, and kidney failure; and

WHEREAS, Fabry disease is caused by a deficiency of the lysosomal enzyme alpha-galactosidase A that results in harmful buildup of lipids in the body and cellular dysfunction; and

WHEREAS, people with Fabry disease experience chronic pain in their extremities, temperature sensitivity, and gastrointestinal issues beginning in childhood; and

WHEREAS, adults may experience stroke, kidney and/or heart failure, lung disease, and hearing loss at relatively young ages; and

WHEREAS, effective treatments are available to reduce symptoms and slow the onset of organ damage, but the disease is often underdiagnosed, misdiagnosed, or not diagnosed until after irreversible organ damage occurs; and

WHEREAS, Fabry disease is inherited in an X-linked manner, affecting approximately 1 in 40,000 to 60,000 males according to the National Institutes of Health, and the incidence of the disease may be twice as common in females who typically experience milder symptoms; and

WHEREAS, newborn screening has found higher than expected numbers of individuals with Fabry disease, likely due to the recognition of previously undiagnosed late-onset and variable forms of the disease; and

WHEREAS, the month of April is designated to raise awareness about Fabry disease among the public and medical experts, leading to increased research toward an ultimate cure;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Glenn Youngkin, do hereby recognize April 2024, as FABRY DISEASE AWARENES MONTH in the COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA, and I call this observance to the attention of all our citizens.

Governor of Virginia

Proclamations