Submitted photo Elkins Mayor Jerry Marco, right, met with Silas Cooper, center, and Makenzie Cooper, right, to designate today through Feb. 14 as Congenital Heart Disease Awareness Week.

ELKINS — Today marks the beginning of Congenital Heart Disease Awareness Week in Elkins, after city officials met with a local family that has been strongly affected bv the condition.

Joining Elkins Mayor Jerry Marco during the Wednesday’s ceremony at the Elkins Fire Department were members of the family of Silas Cooper, who has Congenital Heart Disease, including his mother, Makenzie Cooper. 

“We are grateful to the Cooper family for doing their part to raise awareness of congenital heart disease,” said Marco. “Their advocacy has played a huge part in bringing attention to this cause and their efforts continue to make a meaningful impact on our community.”

The Cooper family, led by Silas, first petitioned the City of Elkins to recognize Congenital Heart Disease Awareness Week in 2022.

On Wednesday, Marco issued a proclamation recognizing Congenital Heart Disease Awareness Week, which starts today and ends on Feb. 14.

This designated week in February is recognized by national organizations including the Children’s Heart Foundation, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the American Heart Association and MendedHearts.org promote.

The week raises awareness for the approximately one in 100 U.S. babies who are born with a congenital heart condition (CHD) each year.

As Marco explained in 2023, the Cooper family had brought the idea of the proclamation to him the year before. The mayor described Silas as “an impressive young man” who was “doing well.”

“This marks the second year in a row devoting a week to congenital heart disease, thanks to a remarkable young man named Silas and his incredible family,” Marco said after issuing the proclamation again in 2023. “Their initiative has been pivotal in bringing attention to this cause and their efforts continue to make a meaningful impact on our community.”

 According to the release from Elkins City Hall, the Children’s Heart Foundation states that congenital heart defects (CHDs) are problems present at birth that affect the function and structure of the human heart. CHDs vary in severity, from posing a minor health problem to ones that require surgery immediately after birth.

The press release states that, depending on the source cited, approximately one in 100 to 110 children are born with a CHD. That number equates to approximately 40,000 U.S. children born with a CHD annually, or one child born every 15 minutes. Most causes of CHDs are unknown.