CHERUBS
Raleigh, NC - CHERUBS, a non-profit organization founded to help families of children born with Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia (CDH) learned about a contest on Facebook through a member expecting a baby with CDH.
Alarm company, APX, based out of Provo, Utah is known to be very generous to the non-profit community. This contest is yet another way that this company gives back. 5 lucky charities will win $30,000 and another charity will walk away with a grand prize of $100,000.
The APX Gives Back contest is made possible through a software application on the popular social media site, Facebook. It began on May 3rd with Facebook users nominating their favorite charities in 5 regions. On June 14th, the top 15 charities from each region made it to Phase II, where the votes were reset and the real competition began. The charity with the most overall votes by August 21st will be awarded $100,000, while the other charities in the remaining regions with the most votes will receive $30,000 donations. CHERUBS has steadily held first place in the Eastern Division.
CHERUBS not only made it to Phase II but has been battling it out for 1st place with a division of the Prader-Willi Syndrome Foundation also based in Utah. The two charities have been remained within 200 votes of each other, trading between 1st and 2nd places. “We are so excited to be doing so well in this contest and to be in the company of so many other wonderful charities! We have learned so much about other causes and became friends with many, including members from the Prader-Willi Syndrome Foundation and we are already looking into ways to work together on projects for both our causes. No matter who wins this contest, we will all come out as winners. This has been a wonderful platform to raise awareness for all of our causes” said CHERUBS President, Dawn Williamson.
Founded in 1995 by Mrs. Williamson and based here in the Triangle, CHERUBS is the world’s first and largest CDH organization with over 3300 members in 38 different countries and all 50 states. Dawn is the mother of Shane Torrence (1/28/93-9/11/
“I miss my son every single day; CDH took him from me and robbed him of any type of normalcy during his short life. I lost the chance to watch him grow up and grow into a young man; learn to ride a bike or drive a car; go to college or get married or have children of his own,” said Williamson. “No mother’s arms should ever ache for a child she can no longer hold. Shane was an amazing little boy that was always happy despite the fact that he spent so much of his life in the hospital. CDH devastated our family.”
Williamson made it her life’s mission to help other families affected by Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia. If there is any doubt of faithfulness to this mission you need only to read the glowing reviews families around the world have posted all over the internet about how CHERUBS has helped them through their darkest days, see all the services listed on their web sites or count the over 11,000 fans they have on Facebook.
Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia occurs when the diaphragm fails to fully form, allowing abdominal organs into the chest cavity and preventing lung growth. It affects 1 in every 2500 babies, representing approximately 1600 babies in the United States each year, half of which do not survive. Some of the other half, like Williamson’s son, who only lived until the age of 6, end up suffering through life with lasting health problems such as feeding aversions, gastrointestinal problems, asthma, allergies, scoliosis, or long-term pulmonary problems.
“This contest has not only allowed us to dramatically raise awareness about Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia but it has offered us the opportunity to raise more money for our charity than we ever have before. $100,000 can do so many things for the CDH community and we are so grateful to APX and to everyone who is voting for us.” For a small charity powered by volunteers, donations and fundraisers and run in a spare room of Williamson’s home to save funds, $100,000 could indeed go a long way. “We have over 3300 members and all of our services are free to CDH families. We run a very large web site with forums for families to gain information and support 24 hours a day, an annual international Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia conference, the world’s largest CDH research database, we send care packages to new and expectant parents and so many, many other services on less than $35,000 a year. Our budget averages about $10 of assistance per family, which is ridiculous but we somehow pull it off. Winning this contest could do so much for our ability to help more CDH families!” says Williamson.
Families affected by CDH agree. “I vote because my sweet baby Mallory has opened our eyes to a terribled condition that we knew nothing about at the time. And from the statistics we have learned about CDH it saddens me that this illness is so unknown. CHERUBS has been my crutch from day one of diagnosis. I cannot imagine going through all of this without the support and information I have gotten from the organization and its members. Mallory was born on Jan. 4th of 2010, and still going strong in the hospital, and CHERUBS has been there for us every step of the way. God bless you all, and thank you from the bottom of my heart” says mom Sara Jimel Givent.
“I am voting in memory of our sweet Joshua who was born on March 26, 2010 and was with us 16 days. We love him and miss him terribly. If CHERUBS can win the $100,000, maybe another family won't have to go through this” wrote dad Jeff Campbell.
“Voting for my son Brandon who was diagnosed with CDH two days before his delivery in 2004. The only information we could find that even gave us hope was "CHERUBS". His outlook was not good but he is strong and healthy today because of UNC Children’s Hospital and Brandon’s drive to survive. Thanks CHERUBS for all the hard work and dedication that you provide for families struggling with this horrible birth defect. You gave us hope when we had none and during the long stay in the hospital. This continued even when we were dealing with many of the issues after we finally got him home” writes Fayetteville resident Cheryl Sandoval.
CHERUBS welcomes the community’s support and votes in this contest. If you would like to help this organization you can vote through Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/
Proceeds from the contest will benefit CHERUBS Research and Support Funds, and Williamson is hoping that the contest will bring out many supporters and media to help gain recognition for both CDH and the organization’
CHERUBS will also gladly accept any donations to help further their work. Tax-deductible donations can be made on-line at http://www.cdhdonations.org or mailed to CHERUBS, 3650 Rogers Rd #290, Wake Forest, NC 27587.
“There is still so much research that needs to be done. In 2010 this birth defect should not still exist, much less still have so many unanswered questions and so little research,” said Williamson. “CHERUBS wants to be able to help as many families as possible, because we understand the hurt and confusion that comes along with having a child with CDH. We want to spare other families from the devastating effects of CDH and we will keep fighting, keep researching and keep raising awareness until the cause and prevention of CDH is found.”
Photo:
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