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

Cholangiocarcinoma Awareness Day

WHEREAS, cholangiocarcinoma starts in the bile duct, a thin tube that reaches from the liver to the small intestine and has the function of moving bile from the liver and gallbladder to the small intestine where it helps digest the fats in food; and

WHEREAS, there are three types of cholangiocarcinoma: intrahepatic, extrahepatic and perihilar, and in the last decade, the mortality rate has increased for all; and

WHEREAS, cholangiocarcinoma is a rare cancer with the 5-year survival rate of approximately 20%, with survival being largely dependent on its location in the body and its progression; and

WHEREAS, an estimated 10,000 people in the United States develop cholangiocarcinoma each year, and almost two out of three people with cholangiocarcinoma are 65 or older when diagnosed; and

WHEREAS, late-stage diagnosis of cholangiocarcinoma is common due to no validated early method of detection, and the symptoms of jaundice, abdominal pain, itchy skin, and weight loss do not usually present until advanced disease progression; and

WHEREAS, there is currently no cure for cholangiocarcinoma/bile duct cancer; however, the U.S. Food & Drug Administration approved durvalumab (Imfinzi), an immunotherapy and chemotherapy to treat cholangiocarcinoma patients and provide a new standard of care; and

WHEREAS, increased cholangiocarcinoma advocacy, awareness, research, and education may bring improved outcomes for patients in earlier detection, treatment, and potential curative methods; and

WHEREAS, the Commonwealth of Virginia, along with foundations, research and teaching hospitals, rare cancer advocacy groups, and patient advocacy groups around the globe, observe Cholangiocarcinoma Awareness Day in recognition of all patients and caregivers impacted by the rare, lethal cancer;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Glenn Youngkin, do hereby recognize February 16, 2023, as CHOLANGIOCARCINOMA AWARENESS DAY in our COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA, and I call this observance the attention of our citizens.