Pitt Hopkins Syndrome Awareness Day

City of El Mirage
PROCLAMATION
Pitt Hopkins Syndrome Awareness Day
WHEREAS Pitt Hopkins Syndrome is a rare and severe neurological genetic disorder
caused by a spontaneous mutation or deletion of the TCF4 gene; and,
WHEREAS, Pitt Hopkins affects brain and nervous system development and is
characterized by intellectual disability and developmental delay, breathing problems, epilepsy or
recurrent seizures, gastrointestinal issues, lack of speech, and distinctive facial features; and,
WHEREAS children with Pitt Hopkins Syndrome typically have a happy, excitable
demeanor with frequent smiling and laughter; and,
WHEREAS, fewer than 1,500 people worldwide have been diagnosed with Pitt Hopkins
Syndrome; and,
WHEREAS even though the cause of Pitt Hopkins is known, there are currently no
pharmaceutical treatments available for this disorder; and,
WHEREAS the Pitt Hopkins Research Foundation annually celebrates September l8th as
International Pitt Hopkins Syndrome Awareness Day to raise awareness and funding for research;
this date was chosen to bring attention to the disorder’s cause, which is a spontaneous mutation or
deletion on the l8th chromosome; and,
WHEREAS the Pitt Hopkins Research Foundation is a volunteer organization of families
and professionals dedicated to finding a cure for Pitt Hopkins Syndrome through research funding,
education, and advocacy; the Foundation’s goal is to bring practical treatment into current medical
use.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, Alexis Hermosillo, Mayor of El Mirage, Arizona, do hereby affix my
hand and seal this 17th day of September 2024 and proclaim September 18, 2024, as
PITT HOPKINS SYNDROME AWARENESS DAY
in El Mirage, Arizona and encourage all citizens to increase awareness and understanding of Pitt
Hopkins Syndrome in order to assist those individuals and families who live with this condition
every day of their lives,
______________________________
Alexis A. Hermosillo, Mayor