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| SB Awarness Ribbons & Bracelets |
Normally I would start this off by saying “despite being born with Spina Bifida,” but “despite” is no longer the right word. I used to think of my Spina Bifida as a disorder, but I know now that it is a blessing. If I had not been born with this birth defect I do not believe I would be able to fully appreciate life and all God has given me. God gives us all gifts to use in his ministry; Spina Bifida is definitely mine: It is not something that will hold me back, but rather, propel me forward.
At age eleven I became aware that October is Spina Bifida Awareness month. I convinced my mother to buy pin-backings as well as some small metal hearts and yellow ribbon. For eleven years now I’ve been making ribbons and handing them out. I place them in little sandwich bags along with a slip of paper informing them of Spina Bifida Awareness and where they can go to donate. It is a small achievement, but one I hope to continue. A few years ago I started making bracelets (photo above) to sell for the cause. The money went to help send a kid with SB to
Camp Spifida. I put them on my etsy and got orders from all over the states & even the Bahamas.
Breast Cancer Awareness often overshadows the entire month of October, and people forget about Spina Bifida. Both are important causes, but because of how little known Spina Bifida is, I want to focus on it. More than
166,000 Americans are affected by SB, and
8 babies are born each day with SB or a similar defect. It is the
most common permanently disabling birth defect...and it's
preventable. Because Spina Bifida usually occurs within the first 28 days of pregnancy while the spine and brain develop, if you intend to have children and are of child-bearing age, you should be taking
400 mcg of folic acid daily. For more information on Spina Bifida & how to get involved, visit
www.spinabifidaassociation.org. If you would like to donate to the Spina Bifida Association, there is a button at the right hand side of the page that will enable you to do so.
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