NEC Awareness Day

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

NEC Awareness Day

WHEREAS, necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is the most common cause of death in hospitalized premature infants after two weeks of age; and a neonatal inflammatory disease that is a leading cause of death in the NICU; and

WHEREAS, necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is a life-threatening inflammatory intestinal disease that can develop suddenly and progress rapidly, placing premature infants and those born with medical complications at greatest risk, and affecting thousands of infants each year in the United States, resulting in hundreds of deaths among hospitalized newborns; and

WHEREAS, while the exact cause of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) remains unclear, evidence-based preventive measures-particularly the use of breast milk-can reduce risk in medically fragile infants; and

WHEREAS, May is recognized nationally as NEC Awareness Month and May 17 is observed as NEC Awareness Day, providing an opportunity to raise awareness, advance research, and promote education regarding this complicated and devastating disease; and

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Abigail D. Spanberger, Governor, do hereby recognize May 17, 2026, as NEC AWARENESS DAY and May 31, 2026, as NEC REMEMBRANCE DAY in the COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA, and I call this observance to the attention of all our citizens.