Day of Prayer & Education for CDH - May 17, 2009

On May 17, 2009 we invite all houses of worship, clubs and organizations to join us in raising Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia Awareness!!!!

Churches and other houses of worship are a great place to raise awareness - their service programs often talk about charity work that they are involved in. We are asking all churches to include just a few paragraphs about CDH in their church bulletins on May 17, 2009. 1 church can raise awareness with 100's of people! If we all get our churches, friends and family's to join in with their churches, plus clubs and other organizations.... we can raise awareness around the world!!!!

"Churches for Cherubs" is just a rough draft name... we really don't have a name for this event. I just like the sound of that name. :) But it does include ALL churches, temples, synagogues, clubs, organizations, etc. Other CDH groups are welcome to participate and use a different name or "Churches for CDH" or "Day of Prayer for CDH" or whatever they'd like to join in! :)

Also, besides the educational part of this event... we would really like to ask those of you who pray to do so on this day. Pray for the babies and families affected by CDH, pray for the researchers and doctors and nurses. Pray for the end of Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia. No matter your beliefs - please think positive thoughts to the end of CDH so that no more babies and families will suffer from this devastating birth defect.

You can ask more than 1 church to participate - invite every church in your town or all the churches in your district!

We don't want to exclude those who don't go to church. If you don't go to church, you can participate in other ways! You can hold an event such as a balloon release or candle lighting ceremony. You can have a fundraiser. You can just wear your CDH Awareness clothing or a ribbon button and tell people about CDH.

How do we do this? Just take the following paragraphs to your pastor / rabbi / priest / leader and ask them to print them in the church bulletin for Sunday, May 17, 2009. Feel free to use any of our graphics or your cherub's photo in the bulletin!!

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Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia

Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia (CDH) occurs when the diaphragm fails to fully form, allowing abdominal organs to move into the chest cavity and preventing the lungs from having enough room to grow. CDH occurs in 1 in every 2500 babies. 1600 babies in the US every year. Over a half million babies around the world since 2000. Every 10 minutes a baby is born with CDH.

Babies born with CDH undergo surgeries and long hospitalizations. 50% of babies born with CDH do not survive. The cause is not known.

Please join us in learning about CDH and raising awareness so that more research may be done and more babies saved.

For more information about CDH, you can visit www.cdhsupport.org


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I think this is a great project! Think about how much awareness we can spread by doing this!

I am so excited since it is the same day as my bowl-a-thon! 8-) How cool is that?!

Pretty darn cool, Barb!!!! :)

Is this the same thing as the "Day of Prayer and Education for CHERUBS" on facebook?? I like the previous name better than "Churches for Cherubs"--just bringing Churches into the equation brings up religion I think and may make some feel uncomfortable. The Day of Prayer and Education sounds so much better.

Yes, same thing. No official name. :) But I think you're right, Tracy!

I have to say... credit for this idea is all given to Kate!!!! She had something written in her church program about Shannon and it's been the inspiration behind this Day of Prayer & Education for CDH. So thank you Kate, Steve and Shannon!!! :)

This is a wonderful thing for CHERUBS!
What a great way to get the CDH Awareness in the public!

KATE----Thank you for this wonderful idea and Thank you Dawn for getting it all organized.

I agree! great idea!!!!!
I will work on it, many family members and friends go to church, I am sure I can get at least 3 churches to post it. Crossing my fingers that my Juan will be on survivor pic ;)

Well I am absolutely honored, Dawn :)

I am definitely going to participate in this!!!! Just a little side note, at some churches you can donate an arrangement of flowers, it helps bring even more awareness! So if you take this to the church to have printed in the bulletin, consider donating an arrangement in honor of CHERUBS.

AWESOME !! WILL ask my pastor this week .>!! i know he will be more than willing to !!

ho can i get one of these made with a pic of cole ?

Do you mean a ribbon, Penny?

I HAVE THE RIBBON, I MEANT THIS ONE LIKE ON YOUR PROFILE PIC, THE ROUND ONE.....

E-mail Fer and Barb at ribbons@cherubs-cdh.org and ask them to make a round one. :) Send a photo of Cole too so it's easier for them (they won't have to search for it).

Who is planning on participating? How many churches / houses of worship do we have participating? Other events?

I'm getting my church to participate and working with Kohl's to have an event (not sure what yet). Also releasing balloons with family and friends as say a prayer that afternoon.

Father Bert at my church is going to put the write up before May 17th and then that day.
I am also going to ask my brother's church to put a write up in.

Yes, I will have at least 2 churches post it.
I want to know who to create the awarness ribbon with my u/s pic....

Marilu--send your ultra sound picture to Fer at farse@cherubs-cdh.org.
She is making ribbons.

:) Steph

ALL set for this at my CHURCH :0)

How oo we go about getting our church to participate? I need to get the ball rolling!

Lynne, I just sent an email to our minister explaining what we'd like to do and asked how we would go about arranging it. We're getting a handout together for the bulletin as well as some slides for our overhead projector. We have a sharing time at the beginning of our church service, so I can get up and explain what the day is about. I also thought about doing up stickers with Landon's awareness ribbon on it to hand out at the door and people could wear them. (If I could afford buttons, I'd do that) I thought this way people are bound to leave wearing them and have someone else ask them what they're about. I just took the idea and ran with it...I don't think there's a right or wrong.

How can I do awarness stickers?

I am all set at my church too! We have some other things going on that day so we will be doing this on Sunday, May 10th if this alright. This is Mother's Day. I can get the only Ministry Moment on that day. I figure any time to spread awareness is a good time!

Anytime is fine, Lynne!!!! :)

WTG everyone!!!!! We're having an NC picnic on that day and a balloon release at the park.

Plus, everyone please light candles at 7:00 pm in your time zone and say a prayer (or wishes)... that way we can have it continuously going around the world for 24 hours.

And PLEASE post this to your blogs and sites to get more people involved!!!

Lynne, I was just going to use Avery round labels and print them at home.

Lynne, I was just going to use Avery round labels and print them at home.

Sounds good Shana! I need to get a ribbon. I emailed for one so hopefully I will get it soon. Where are you from in ON? My BFF is from Toronto.

I'm in Bobcaygeon, 2 hrs northeast of Toronto. Toronton's where we have to go for Landon's Sick Kids' check-ups.

I have heard great things about sick kids. I will find out where she is from in Toronto. Where did you buy sticker paper and how much was it?

I have heard great things about sick kids. I will find out where she is from in Toronto. Where did you buy sticker paper and how much was it?

Sick Kids' is a miraculous place and we are so blessed that Landon had his care there. I haven't picked up any sticker paper yet, but I looked on the Avery site to see if they made round labels, that's how I found out. I'm going to call some office supply stores to see if they have anything. I live out in the boonies :) If all else fails I'll see if I can get some off ebay! lol

Oh my! I looked on some office supply websites and no luck yet, but we every store you can think of within 20 mins of my house.

I spoke in our church's Traditional Service this morning for the day of Prayer and Education and Baer's DVD was shown in our LIVE Service. We had to do it this week due to next week being too full at church. Here is copy from the bulletin. I still want to post Baer's video but I am trouble with it just streaming on You Tube and starting from the begining showing a "play " button and of course you can't push play on You Tube. Help! Anybody got any ideas of what I can do?


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LOVE it, Lynne!!!!! :)

Love Baer's new photo too, that is too darn cute!!!

Thanks Dawn! If all goes well, we will see you this Sunday!

How sis everyone's day go? Would love to hear what you guys did!

It was great! We all went to church, this is only Landon's 3rd time (Thanksgiving for Baptism, Easter and yesterday) and he was amazing...loved the singing and the big lights and fans on the ceiling! He fell asleep about half way through. The girls and I had made a big poster about CDH that we put up and as I spoke at the front the girls handed out our CDH stickers to everyone (the congregation loved this) We asked them to wear their stickers and educate at least one other person about CDH. There were gasps when I talked about how common CDH is, and the survival rate of only 50%. Most of the congregation knew Landon had been ill, but they didn't know what it was or the severity of the condition. Many people came up to us afterward and thanked us for speaking and sharing our story. They had no idea the depth of Landon's Journey. We also sent out an email to our family and friends explaining the day and asked them to forward it to one person to educate them on CDH and lit some candles at 7pm and prayed for our CDH community. It was a wonderful day. :)

IF i could figure out how to get our bulletin scanned I would :( Info was included in our church bulletin and read aloud, info about CDH , statistics, etc. AND THAT COLE IS A CDH SURVIVOR! Many people found out about CDH and were very shocked to learn the stats. The flowers we donated also were gorgeous ! our computer is down so we will get a pic on here as soon as it's up and running LOL!