PRESS RELEASE:
For immediate release
New Organization Leads the Way in CDH Research
20 year old charity expands to raise survival rates for birth defect.
WAKE FOREST, N.C. – July 7, 2017: The Association of Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia Research, Awareness, and Support – CHERUBS – is undergoing an organizational restructuring and will now called CDH International (www.cdhi.org) which will be focused on Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia (CDH) research, while CHERUBS will continue to provide support to CDH families.
“I am stepping down from my leadership role in CHERUBS and will be leaving it in the very capable hands of Tracy Meats, who has been with the organization for over 10 years” said Dawn Ireland, founder of CHERUBS. “She will manage the parent support efforts that we are known for and CDH Families will continue to receive the same great support they’ve come to count on.”
CDH International will be an umbrella organization providing valuable research, securing NIH funding and grants, and creating an accreditation center for CDH hospital clinics. These new components will help better serve the CDH community worldwide by raising the standards of care and propelling research.
“We hope that the CDH Care Center accreditation program will push hospitals to do radical new things for CDH to raise survival rates,” Ireland stated in her new role as President of CDH International. “It’s unacceptable that some hospitals have a 50% survival rate while others have 90% or 100%. We are very excited to work with the research community to better serve and make a direct contribution in saving more lives of children born with Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia while bettering the quality of life for survivors. The future is looking much brighter for in the fight against this devastating birth defect” she continued.
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About CDH:
Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia (CDH) is a birth defect, with an unknown cause, which effects 2,500 babies worldwide and 1,600 babies in the United States each year. Approximately 50% of these babies will die each year. During gestation, the diaphragm fails to fully form often allowing abdominal organs to reach the chest cavity, restricting lung growth.
About CHERUBS:
CHERUBS was created in 1995 to provide information and support services to families affected by Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia, raise awareness and promote and fund research into the causes and best treatments of CDH. Learn more at http://www.cherubs.org
About CDH International:
CDH International was created as a global initiative to stop Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia by working with researchers, other non-profits and families to better utilize, fund and promote research. Learn more at http://www.cdhi.org
Media Contact:
Dawn Ireland, President
(919) 610-0129
dawn.ireland@cdhi.org
