“I want to honor the 800 Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia babies in the US that will not make it to their 1st birthday this year, enrich the lives of the 800 survivors, learn as much as I can about Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia, and share information that has helped me along the way”

Samual Zion Foundation on WSAZ

What is CDH?

The diaphragm is a thin layer of muscle that separates the chest and abdominal cavity. It plays an important role in breathing. A congenital (at or before birth) diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) occurs when the diaphragm does not form properly during pregnancy.

Typically, this results in a small hole in the diaphragm, or in rare cases it does not form at all. The opening allows for the organs in the abdomen (stomach, liver, intestines) to push or herniate into the chest, which can prevent the normal growth and development of the lungs. 1,600 babies are born with CDH every year in the U.S occurs or about 1 in 2,000 – 1 in 5,000 live births.

What causes it?

Most cases of diaphragmatic hernia are believed to be multi-factorial in origin. Multi-factorial means that many factors, both genetic and environmental, are involved. It is thought that multiple genes from both parents, as well as a number of environmental factors that scientists do not yet fully understand, contribute to the development of a diaphragmatic hernia.

Who is at risk?

All pregnancies have a 2-3% risk for some type of birth defect. One type of birth defect is a CDH.
Parents who have had one child with an isolated CDH, meaning no problems other than the CDH, are at increased risk to have another child with the same problem. For most families this chance is approximately 1-2% or 1 in 100 to 2 in 100.
If there is a known cause for the CDH, the recurrence risk depends on the specific diagnosis.

OUR MISSION

Samual Zion Foundation's mission is to spread Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia Awareness and support CDH patients and their families.

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Help give hope to babies with a life-threatening heart defect.

UPCOMING EVENTS

— April-CDH Awareness Month

Month long Calendar Raffle, a prize a day for 30 days. Calendar cost a dollar a day or a $30 donation. Live drawings every day at each business location daily.