Strengthen the Spirit of Virginia
Strengthen the Spirit of Virginia
By virtue of the authority vested by the Constitution of Virginia in the Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia, there is hereby officially recognized:
CACNA1A Awareness Day
WHEREAS, the lives of Virginians are affected by genetic variants on the CACNA1A gene; and,
WHEREAS, a diagnosis of a genetic variant on the CACNA1A gene means an individual could have neurodevelopmental differences, epilepsy, ataxia, migraines, cerebellar atrophy and eye movement disorders; and,
WHEREAS, CACNA1A is a gene located on the short arm of the 19th chromosome that plays a vital role in the communication between neurons in the brain, and a change in the gene alters the function of the calcium channels affecting the release of neurotransmitters; and,
WHEREAS, individuals with a variant on the CACNA1A gene can experience life-altering neurological emergencies of hemiplegic migraine attack, stroke, coma, seizure emergencies, and cerebral edema; and,
WHEREAS, treatment options for individuals with a CACNA1A gene variant are limited and there is no cure; and,
WHEREAS, it is imperative that there be greater public awareness of this health issue, and more must be done to increase activity at the local, state and national levels;
NOW, THEREFORE, I, Glenn Youngkin, do hereby recognize March 19, 2022 as CACNA1A AWARENESS DAY in our COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA, and I call this observance to the attention of our citizens.
