Spina Bifida Awareness Month

Floor Speech

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Mr. HERN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize National Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus Day, as well as October as National Spina Bifida Month.

Spina Bifida impacts families across these United States, my own included. My sister and niece have lived with Spina Bifida since childhood.

Spina Bifida is a birth defect which results from a hole in the spiral cord that fails to close properly, which allows nerves and fluid to form a sac outside the body. This defect means that a child must undergo dozens of surgeries before adulthood, and even then, they face a multitude of mental and physical health issues. Each condition is unique, and no two children will be affected the same way.

In a testament to the innovation and research of our American scientific ingenuity, we now have the first generation of adults who are living with Spina Bifida. However, there is still much work to do.

It is our obligation to ensure proper funding for Spina Bifida care and research so that treatment and quality of life can improve for all Americans with this condition.

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