National Eosinophil Awareness 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:

National Eosinophil Awareness Week

WHEREAS, Congress designated the third week of May as National Eosinophil Awareness Week through HR 296 in May 2007; and

WHEREAS, the term "eosinophil-associated diseases" describes a group of diseases characterized by elevated levels of eosinophils, a type of white blood cell associated with allergies, parasitic infections, cancer, and other conditions, causing inflammation and damage; and

WHEREAS, approximately one in 700 individuals in the United States is affected by eosinophilic esophagitis, other eosinophilic gastrointestinal diseases are increasingly recognized, and individuals living with these chronic conditions often experience a significant disease burden and reduced quality of life; and

WHEREAS, it is important for Virginians to understand that these chronic diseases can cause significant medical complications and substantially impair quality of life, including inflammation of and damage to vital organs such as the heart, lungs, kidneys, and gastrointestinal tract; and

WHEREAS, eosinophil-associated diseases can be difficult to diagnose due to symptoms that often resemble other illnesses and ongoing gaps in understanding their causes, consequences, and treatments, and increased public awareness can lead to earlier diagnosis, improved medical care, expanded research efforts, and greater access to quality health care; and

WHEREAS, National Eosinophil Awareness Week is an appropriate time to recognize the Commonwealth's dedicated health professionals who tirelessly treat those with eosinophilic gastrointestinal disorders;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Abigail D. Spanberger, do hereby recognize May 17-23, 2026, as NATIONAL EOSINOPHIL AWARENESS WEEK in the COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA, and I call this observance to the attention of all our citizens.