Kevin Hern: “Today, I rise in honor of National Spina Bifida Awareness Month. Spina bifida is a rare condition that develops in the…”

“Today, I rise in honor of National Spina Bifida Awareness Month. Spina bifida is a rare condition that develops in the womb. It stems from a hole in the spinal cord, a condition known as a neural tube defect. As the spinal column fails to close properly, nearly every major organ system is impacted. Children born with spina bifida typically undergo dozens of surgeries at a young age. For those who survive to adulthood, they live with complex physical, mental, and other health challenges. There are precious few resources available for the 166,000 individuals living with spina bifida in the United States, including my sister and my niece. I have another sister who was born with spina bifida as well and passed away shortly after birth. I am very familiar with the challenges faced by those who suffer from spina bifida. It has been a part of my life since childhood. The medical community has taken many steps forward since my sisters were diagnosed with spina bifida several decades ago. Whereas spina bifida used to be a childhood death sentence, many individuals with spina bifida are living well into adulthood, a tremendous milestone. But there is more we can do. Funding for spina bifida is low. There is only one entity in the Federal Government studying spina bifida. It is the Spina Bifida Program at the National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities at the CDC.…”