Assembly Resolution No. 313

BY: M. of A. Solages

MEMORIALIZING Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to proclaim
May 17, 2021, as Necrotizing Enterocolitis Awareness
Day in the State of New York

WHEREAS, This Legislative Body has an interest in fostering the
health and well-being of its youngest citizens and engaging in a
conscientious commitment to advancing their overall health; and

WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body to memorialize
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to proclaim May 17, 2021, as Necrotizing
Enterocolitis (NEC) Awareness Day in the State of New York; and

WHEREAS, NEC is a leading cause of death for premature and medically
fragile babies; and

WHEREAS, In the United States, more than 1 in 10 babies are born
prematurely; despite significant advances in neonatal care, the
morbidity and mortality rates associated with this disease have not
significantly improved in 30 years; and

WHEREAS, In the U.S. alone, thousands of babies develop NEC each
year and hundreds of babies die from this complex intestinal condition;
once diagnosed, many babies only live for a few hours or days, and
survivors can have lifelong neurological and nutritional complications;
and

WHEREAS, According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention,
NEC is a leading cause of overall infant mortality in the United States;
despite focused research on NEC for over four decades, experts are still
striving to fully understand why NEC occurs, when NEC occurs, how NEC
occurs, and which neonates will develop the disease; and

WHEREAS, Fortunately, human milk, probiotics, and standardized
feeding protocols have been shown to help protect our most fragile
infants from NEC; evidence demonstrates an exclusive human milk diet
offers these infants the most protection; when mother's own milk is
unavailable for premature infants, pasteurized donor breast milk is the
next best option; and

WHEREAS, Sixty percent of the nation's neonatal intensive care units
do not use donor milk; too many parents, clinicians, medical directors
and hospital administrators are unaware of donor milk's existence,
accessibility, safety and life-saving powers for vulnerable infants; the
American Academy of Pediatrics has also recommended donor human milk
(DHM) ahead of artificial milk, in part, due to a reduction in
occurrence of NEC; and

WHEREAS, This day should serve as an opportunity for a greater
understanding about the importance of accessibility to human breast milk
being for our most vulnerable newborns; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
memorialize Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to proclaim May 17, 2021, as

Necrotizing Enterocolitis Awareness Day in the State of New York, fully
confident that this recognition will emanate the journey to fostering
appropriate measures to treat babies suffering from NEC; and be it
further

RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be
transmitted to The Honorable Andrew M. Cuomo, Governor of the State of
New York.