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Spina Bifida Awareness Month is observed throughout October, dedicated to raising vital support and understanding for individuals living with this birth defect. This month highlights the importance of early detection, ongoing care, and community resources. Join us in advocating for better outcomes, supporting research, and sharing stories to foster a more inclusive world.
Want to sponsor Spina Bifida Awareness Month? Learn how
Expected Spina Bifida Awareness Month Deals
Throughout Spina Bifida Awareness Month, the focus shifts from commercial deals to impactful fundraising and advocacy efforts. Organizations like the Spina Bifida Association (SBA) partner with corporations for donation drives, matching gift programs, and awareness campaigns. Many medical supply companies, such as Hollister Incorporated and Coloplast, may highlight their support for the community through educational content or direct contributions to patient aid funds. Retailers like Target and Walmart often feature round-up-at-checkout options or dedicated product lines that benefit health-related causes. Look for local businesses hosting charity events or selling merchandise that donates a portion of proceeds to Spina Bifida research and support. We will update this page with confirmed live campaigns as October approaches.
Platform Guide for Spina Bifida Awareness Month
Tag @nationaltoday_ and use #SpinaBifidaAwarenessMonth. Share personal stories, educational infographics, and highlight community events.
Mention National Today (facebook.com/nationaltoday) and use #SpinaBifidaAwarenessMonth. Engage with support groups and share resources for families.
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Mention @NatlToday and use #SpinaBifidaAwarenessMonth. Participate in live discussions and share breaking news on research and advocacy.
Spina Bifida Awareness Month Hero
Dr. C. Everett Koop
History of Spina Bifida Awareness Month
Spinal defects have existed since the beginnings of mankind. Anthropologists have uncovered many depictions in statues and artifacts from ancient civilizations of people young and old with malformed spinal cords. In the Classical Period of the Greek physician Hippocrates, descriptive writings revealed such defects, though they didn’t have the proper medical science and tools to heal them at the time.
The first description of a spina bifida case was by Nicolas Tulp in 1653. Tulp proposed the term and described it as a vertebral anomaly and it was considered a duplication of the spinous process of the vertebra. Spina Bifida was first found in the textbook Observationes Medicae, written by Tulp, with descriptions of six Spina Bifida cases. One illustration showed a Spina Bifida case of a child with a large lumbar level myelomeningocele defect.
From the early 1600s to the mid-1800s, surgeons attempted to treat Spina Bifida to no avail. Despite this, they continued their research and approached the defect with new techniques, draining or injecting solutions into the sac. Mortality rates fell, but patient debilitation was still the end result. In the middle of the nineteenth century, Dr. James Morton used an iodine and glycerine solution for injection into the sac and this technique proved successful.
In 1973, the Spina Bifida Association of America was formed in Chicago Illinois and it was primarily used as a source of information for its chapters and members. They enabled children with spina bifida to live longer by using new treatments and diagnostic tools that helped families affected by it. As time goes on, the month of October is named as its official month and in the twenty-first century, events and fundraisers have increased in the ongoing battle to better treat spina bifida.
Spina Bifida Awareness Month timeline
National Spina Bifida Awareness Month is proposed for October and events and fundraisers for spina bifida grows.
Dr. James Morton develops an iodine and glycerine solution that decreases the mortality rate for spina bifida patients.
Try as they might, surgeons are unable to decrease mortality rates for spina bifida.
Spina bifida was first found in the textbook Observationes Medicae, written by Nicolas Tulp.
Hippocrates has descriptive writings of spina bifida, but the science of the time wasn’t advanced enough to treat it.
How Businesses Can Celebrate Spina Bifida Awareness Month
Local businesses can honor Spina Bifida Awareness Month by hosting accessible events or offering special promotions that benefit related charities. Restaurants could feature a ‘Give Back’ dish, donating a portion of its sales to the Spina Bifida Association. Retailers might organize a ‘Walk-and-Roll’ fundraiser, encouraging participation from all mobility levels, or partner with local support groups to offer educational materials. Emphasize inclusivity and ensure all events are physically accessible to individuals using mobility aids. Consider offering employee education sessions to foster a more understanding and supportive workplace.
Spina Bifida Awareness Month FAQs
When is Spina Bifida Awareness Month?
Spina Bifida Awareness Month runs throughout October 2026. This vital observance is dedicated to spotlighting the challenges and triumphs of individuals living with Spina Bifida.
How many people are affected by Spina Bifida?
Approximately 1,400 babies are born with Spina Bifida each year in the United States, according to the CDC. This makes it one of the most common birth defects affecting the brain and spine.
What are the common types of Spina Bifida?
The most common and severe type is Myelomeningocele, where the spinal canal remains open along several vertebrae, allowing the spinal cord and nerves to protrude. Other types include Meningocele and Spina Bifida Occulta.
Is Spina Bifida preventable?
While not entirely preventable, taking 400 micrograms of folic acid daily before and during early pregnancy can reduce the risk of neural tube defects, including Spina Bifida, by up to 70%. Many foods are now fortified with folic acid.
How To Observe Spina Bifida Awareness Month
Donate to charity
While many advancements have been made when it comes to spina bifida treatment, there's always a need for more tools and resources when it comes to spina bifida. The money also goes toward shaping public policy on important issues that affect the community and it delivers vital information to individuals, families, and healthcare professionals. Spreading awareness is essential for making strides.
Make it a theme
Everyone loves a theme, especially when it's for a good cause. Request a day to celebrate spina bifida awareness during October for your school or job. Invite everyone to wear teal in honor of the day and throw a pizza party or potluck where everyone brings their favorite dish. People can pitch in an amount to donate and have a goal set up that you want to reach. You’ll have a good time while also knowing that you’re making a difference.
Get social
You can educate yourself using social media by learning about those most affected by spina bifida. You can learn about the personal stories of everyday people by using the hashtag #SpinaBifida and in doing so, you educate yourself on the cause. From there, you can share, post, and do your part in informing others. Online there are webinar series and educational tools at your disposal that can be found at SpinaBifidaAssociation.com.
Five Facts About Spina Bifida Awareness Month
Common
Myelomeningocele is the most common and severe form of spina bifida.
The unknown
No one knows for sure, but scientists believe that spina bifida occurs because of genetics and the environment.
One of a kind
Spina bifida is referred to as the “snowflake condition” because no two are alike.
Breakthroughs
Some babies can have surgery in the womb to minimize the damage of spina bifida.
Early signs
Spina bifida occurs in the first 28 days of pregnancy.
Why Spina Bifida Awareness Month Is Important
It’s very relevant
Spina bifida is the most common neural tube defect in the United States. Of the more than 4 million babies born, 1,500 to 2,000 are affected by it. Because it's so common it's important to be aware and to be prepared so that we can help as many people with valuable knowledge.
The cost of care
Spina bifida takes an emotional and financial toll on families. Children that have spina bifida have medical expenditures thirteen times greater than those without the defect. Anything that we can do to lessen the strain is necessary to make it a little easier for them.
We can find answers
There currently isn’t a cure for spina bifida, but scientists are hard at work doing all they can to find one. As of right now, the defect can be minimized and managed, but the more we draw attention to it and fund the research, the closer we get to curing it completely.
Social Media Tips for Spina Bifida Awareness Month
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