Respiratory Care Week

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, respiratory therapists are committed to providing quality care for those suffering from respiratory illnesses and those in life-threating situations; and

WHEREAS, respiratory therapists are well-educated and highly trained health professionals that are committed to providing high quality patient care in emergency rooms, critical care facilities, medical and surgical care units, skilled nursing facilities, and home health care settings; and

WHEREAS, respiratory therapists utilize a special set of skills to provide outstanding care to all patient populations - neonatal, pediatrics, adolescent, adult, and geriatric; and

WHEREAS, respiratory care practitioners risk their personal health to provide care to their communities during public health outbreaks and exposure to airborne diseases; and

WHEREAS, respiratory care professionals care for patients with lung cancer, the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States, the more than 15 million adults diagnosed with COPD, and the 23 million adults and children that currently have asthma; and

WHEREAS, state and national observances of the respiratory therapy profession will promote early detection of lung diseases and raise awareness of the importance of lung health; and

WHEREAS, Respiratory Care Week celebrates the contributions that respiratory therapists make to the Commonwealth and our nation's health care system;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Glenn Youngkin, do hereby recognize October 22-29, 2023, as RESPIRATORY CARE WEEK in the COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA and call this observance to the attention of our citizens.

Governor of Virginia

Proclamations