SR0696 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0696 LRB104 21181 ECR 35616 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is the most common cause of death in hospitalized, premature infants after two weeks of age; and

WHEREAS, Babies born prematurely or with a medical complication, including congenital heart disease, are most at risk of NEC; and

WHEREAS, Thousands of babies develop NEC each year and hundreds of babies die from this complex intestinal condition; and

WHEREAS, NEC causes a severe inflammatory process that can lead to intestinal tissue damage and death, and once NEC is diagnosed, many babies only live for a few hours or days; and

WHEREAS, Surgery for NEC is not curative, and babies who survive often have lifelong neurological and nutritional complications; and

WHEREAS, NEC results in approximately $5,000,000,000 in hospitalization expenses each year and roughly 19% of neonatal healthcare expenditures in the United States, with an estimated cost of $200,000 or more for each case of surgical NEC; and

WHEREAS, Breast milk is one of the most effective ways to help prevent NEC in medically fragile infants, and when the mother's milk is unavailable, pasteurized human donor milk is the next safest option for babies at risk of NEC; and

WHEREAS, Formula does not protect against the risk of NEC in medically fragile infants, and infants at risk of NEC receive the most protection from their mother's own milk and pasteurized human donor milk; and

WHEREAS, Although the risk of NEC cannot be fully eliminated and there are not yet certain ways to stop or cure NEC, preventative measures are effective at reducing the risk of NEC; and

WHEREAS, Parents must be trusted and valued as the most important member of their baby's care team, and healthcare providers should partner with families to provide the best care for infants at risk of NEC; and

WHEREAS, NEC can develop in both premature babies and babies born at term, and more data is needed to better understand how and why NEC occurs in preterm and full-term infants; and

WHEREAS, Disparities and variation in care lead to Black infants being disproportionately affected by and dying from NEC compared to White infants; and

WHEREAS, The NEC Society is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded and led by a bereaved mother whose son died from complications of NEC, and it is the world's leading charity working to accelerate NEC research, education, and advocacy; and

WHEREAS, In order to build a world without NEC and to improve outcomes for infants and families affected by this condition, it is vital to raise awareness about this devastating neonatal disease; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we declare May 2026 as NEC Awareness Month and May 17, 2026 as NEC Awareness Day in the State of Illinois to encourage increased public awareness, education, and research efforts related to necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) and support for families affected by this disease.