WHEREAS, dermatology is a medical specialty in which physicians diagnose and treat over 3,000 conditions of the skin, hair, and nails in people of all ages, from newborns to older adults; and,   

WHEREAS, melanoma, a type of skin cancer, is an especially serious dermatological condition that has a 64% five-year-survival rate with spread to lymph nodes and a 23% five-year-survival rate if there is spread beyond lymph nodes to other organs; and,

WHEREAS, in 2018, melanoma diagnoses represented the 6th highest incident cancer rate in Virginia with 2,037 new cases of melanoma reported and 209 patient deaths as a result of the disease; and,

WHEREAS, melanoma patients have a survival rate of 98% with early detection, and dermatological care for high-risk individuals saves lives and ensures better patient outcomes; and,

WHEREAS, dermatologists care for a wide array of inflammatory, immune-mediated, and autoimmune diseases including atopic dermatitis, psoriasis, lupus, sarcoidosis, and vitiligo, in addition to cutaneous sequelae as a result of chemotherapy and immunotherapy or systemic diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease, viral, fungal, and bacterial skin diseases; and,

WHEREAS, in 2013, one in four Americans was impacted by skin disease, costing the United States healthcare system $75 million in healthcare expenditures; and,

WHEREAS, dermatologists in Virginia continue to play a critical role in caring for patients as rates of infection continue to rise; and,

WHEREAS, other dermatologic conditions like alopecia areata affected over 34,000 Virginians in 2019, and hereditary hair loss are conditions that may have a significant negative impact on patients’ quality of life; and,

WHEREAS, many dermatologists, dermatology trainees, healthcare professionals, medical students, and other stakeholders are working together to bring awareness of these important issues in dermatology to citizens and legislators in the Commonwealth;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Glenn Youngkin, do hereby recognize May 3, 2022 as VIRGINIA DERMATOLOGY ADVOCACY DAY in our COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA, and I call this observance to the attention of our citizens.