WHEREAS, The health and well-being of every child in the State of Washington is of paramount importance; and

WHEREAS, This year in the United States, forty thousand babies will be born with holes inside the walls of their heart; leaky heart valves; missing, misplaced, or poorly formed blood vessels and heart chambers and other heart structure issues known as a congenital heart defect (CHD). Twenty-five percent of these babies will undergo heart surgeries and other interventions just to survive; and

WHEREAS, CHDs are responsible for more deaths than any other birth defect, accounting for one percent of all births. These deaths often occur when the baby is less than twenty-eight days old. More than half of babies go undiagnosed before birth and some others are not diagnosed until years later. If a baby's mother, father, or sibling has a CHD the baby's risk of being born with a CHD increases by three times, making up almost twenty percent of all cases; and

WHEREAS, There is a need to continue supporting medical research to gain a better understanding on how to recognize symptoms of CHDs. Because of improved treatments and interventions there are now more adults with CHD than there are babies; and

WHEREAS, Medical advancements have given patients a better chance at survival and eighty-five percent of babies born with CHD now live to at least eighteen years of age. But these adults face risky life-long health problems including developmental delays, heart rhythm problems, heart failure, sudden cardiac arrest, and stroke; and

WHEREAS, Three-year-old Camden, who has already undergone seven surgeries, two of which were major open heart surgeries, was born with a congenital heart defect in June of 2011 and was told in March of last year that he would not live to see his third birthday. Against all odds, Camden is on his way to his fourth birthday this year; and

WHEREAS, Camden's courage has inspired the legislature to recognize Congenital Heart Defect Awareness Week, offering the opportunity for affected families and patients to share their experiences with the public in order to raise awareness and remember the lives of loved ones lost;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That the Washington State Senate, in honor of the bravery of Camden and others like him, celebrate the American Heart Association's designation of the week of February 7 through 14 in 2015 and each succeeding year as Congenital Heart Defect Awareness Week.