National Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia Awareness Month

Floor Speech

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Mr. HOLDING. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to join my constituent and friend, Dawn Williamson, in raising awareness for congenital diaphragmatic hernia, also known as CDH.

Mr. Speaker, CDH affects over 1,000 babies in the United States per year and has affected more than 700,000 babies worldwide since the year 2000.

After giving birth to a child with CDH and finding no support groups for mothers of babies with CDH, my friend, Dawn, founded the Association of Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia Research, Awareness, and Support, or CHERUBS, for short, in 1995.

Headquartered in the beautiful town of Wake Forest, North Carolina, CHERUBS is an international charity helping over 5,700 families in 61 countries.

Mr. Speaker, babies born with CDH and their loving families face a difficult journey, and I rise today to raise awareness and to recognize the importance of strong individuals like Dawn Williamson, who work to make the journey for others easier and more comfortable than it was for her.

In conclusion, Mr. Speaker, I am proud to offer this resolution expressing support for the designation of April 2016 as National Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia Awareness Month. This condition is far too common for us to know so little.

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