Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia Scholarships - 2010-2011
CDH Scholarship Fund – for CDH survivors and siblings. Families can raise money to give scholarships in honor / memory of their cherubs.
We hope to award our first scholarship in 2011.
We have 2 scholarship funds:
- General Scholarship Fund - set up by CHERUBS in 2008
- Oz Ward-Kidd Scholarship Fund - Set up in his memory in 2010
Please specify which fund you are donating to.
What is CDH?
Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia (CDH) occurs in approximately 1 in every 2,500 births (1,600 cases in the U.S. each year). The cause of CDH is not yet known. The diaphragm is formed in the first trimester of pregnancy and controls the lungs' ability to inhale and exhale. CDH occurs when the diaphragm fails to form or to close totally and an opening allows abdominal organs into the chest cavity. This inhibits lung growth.
Every patient diagnosed with CDH is different. Survival rates depend on the types and number of organs involved in the herniation and the amount of lung tissue available. There are many surgical procedures and complications that may or may not occur with each individual, including in utero surgery.
Roughly 50% of babies born with CDH do not survive. Of the 50% that do survive, most will endure long hospital stays, feeding issues, asthma and other problems. A few of the survivors suffer from severe long-term medical issues.
CDH occurs as frequently as Spina Bifida and Cystic Fibrosis, yet there is very little research being done and virtually no media coverage.
To learn more about CDH, visit http://www.cdhsupport.org