SPINA BIFIDA ASSOCIATION OF NAME OF LOCAL SBA

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SPINA BIFIDA ASSOCIATION OF NAME OF LOCAL SBA
What is Spina Bifida?
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What is Spina Bifida?
SPINA BIFIDA ASSOCIATION OF NAME OF LOCAL SBA

• The most common, permanent and disabling birth
  defect in the United States

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Who is at risk?
SPINA BIFIDA ASSOCIATION OF NAME OF LOCAL SBA

• Eight babies are born with Spina Bifida every day
  
  
• 60 million women are at risk of having a baby
  born with Spina Bifida

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What are the effects of Spina Bifida?
SPINA BIFIDA ASSOCIATION

• Ongoing medical challenges
• Full or partial paralysis
• Nervous system complications
• Bladder and bowel control difficulties
• Learning disabilities
• Depression
• Social and sexual issues
• Latex allergy

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What does this mean for name of the
organization?
SPINA BIFIDA ASSOCIATION

• Latex allergy
• 70 of children and adolescents with Spina Bifida
  are sensitive to latex
  
• Items made with latex include
• Promotional items like stress balls
• Balloons
• Rubber bands
• Rubber erasers

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How does Spina Bifida happen?
SPINA BIFIDA ASSOCIATION

• First month of pregnancy
• Before most women know they are pregnant
• The spine does not close
• Causes an opening or lesion
• Damaged nerves may result in varying degrees of
  paralysis

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What happens after birth?
SPINA BIFIDA ASSOCIATION

• Surgery
• Reduces risk of infection
• Further damage to the spinal cord
• Life-long treatment and care

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Can Spina Bifida be prevented?
SPINA BIFIDA ASSOCIATION

• Exact cause is not known
• Medical research confirms link between folic acid
  and Spina Bifida
  
• Women who take 400 mcg of folic acid every day
  reduce the risk by up to 70.
  
• BEFORE becoming pregnant
• During first three months of pregnancy
• (and other birth defects)

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What is folic acid?
SPINA BIFIDA ASSOCIATION

• B-vitamin that builds healthy cells
• In most multivitamins
• Foods
• Leafy green vegetables (broccoli and spinach)
• Fruits and juices (orange juice)
• Folic acid-fortified breakfast cereals and other
  bread and grain products
  
• The surest way to get enough folic acid every day
  is to take a vitamin with folic acid. 

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Our Mission
SPINA BIFIDA ASSOCIATION

• Promote prevention of Spina Bifida
• Enhance the lives of all affected

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What We Do
SPINA BIFIDA ASSOCIATION

• Number of individuals and families served
• Serve as a liaison with local or nearby medical
  experts
  
• Engage in community activities

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Our Friends in the Community
SPINA BIFIDA ASSOCIATION

• List your current community partners

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What can name of local SBA offer name of the
organization?
SPINA BIFIDA ASSOCIATION

• Provide informational materials about folic acid
  and Spina Bifida in English and Spanish
  
• Family members who are willing to volunteer for
  your events
  
• List your organization name and logo in our Web
  site and newsletter

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What can name of local SBA offer name of the
organization?
SPINA BIFIDA ASSOCIATION

• Present information about folic acid to your
  members or staff
  
• Present before the organizations support
  groups/regular meetings
  
• Present a personal story about Spina Bifida and
  talk about the importance of taking folic acid
  every day

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What can name of local SBA offer name of the
organization?
SPINA BIFIDA ASSOCIATION

• Present a personal story about Spina Bifida and
  talk about the importance of taking folic acid
  every day
  

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What can name of the organization do for name
of local SBA?
SPINA BIFIDA ASSOCIATION

• Volunteer/sponsor/co-sponsor/in-kind at
  upcoming name of event
  
• Invite your chapter to present information about
  folic acid to their members or staff
  
• Present information about your organization to
  our chapter

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What can name of the organization do for name
of local SBA?
SPINA BIFIDA ASSOCIATION

• Help us distribute our materials by sharing them
  with your members
  
• Help local SBA identify reliable translation
  options

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Additional Resources
SPINA BIFIDA ASSOCIATION

• Local contact information, including name,
  address, e-mail address, and phone/fax number
  
• Spina Bifida Association
• National Resource Center 1-800-621-3141
• www.sbaa.org

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Questions?
SPINA BIFIDA ASSOCIATION