[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 156 (Thursday, September 28, 2017)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1289]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   HONORING THE MEMORY OF PATRICK AWOSOGBA AND SUPPORT OF CHILDREN'S 
                     CARDIOMYOPATHY AWARENESS MONTH

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                       HON. BONNIE WATSON COLEMAN

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, September 28, 2017

  Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the memory of 
Patrick Awosogba and in support of Children's Cardiomyopathy Awareness 
Month.
  Patrick Awosogba was an avid baseball player and a graduate of East 
Brunswick High School. In 2015, Patrick tragically passed away while 
playing pick-up basketball during his freshman year at Rutgers 
University from an undiagnosed case of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. 
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is a chronic and degenerative heart disease 
that thickens the heart muscle, causing an irregular heartbeat and 
which can tragically lead to death. Patrick was a beloved son and 
brother and cherished member of his community.
  September is Children's Cardiomyopathy Awareness Month. 
Cardiomyopathy is one of the leading causes of sudden death in young 
people, and the primary cause of heart transplants in children over the 
age of one. Knowing your family's history and heart health, and 
discussing it with your doctor, can help determine whether your child 
is at risk. The mortality rate for pediatric cardiomyopathy exceeds 
that of all childhood cancers combined, and yet there is a shocking 
lack of both awareness and research on this terrible disease.
  Children's Cardiomyopathy Foundation, based in my home state of New 
Jersey, is a leading nonprofit which provides resources and support to 
families struggling to care for their children suffering from this 
condition. They work to raise awareness for the potentially fatal 
disease. Along with their grassroots network of families, they also 
advocate for research and policies that help those suffering from 
pediatric cardiomyopathy.
  I urge my colleagues to join me in remembering the life of Patrick 
Awosogba and in raising awareness for pediatric cardiomyopathy.

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