36^th Annual Spina Bifida Association Conference

More than 750 Spina Bifida constituents from around the world gathered together in June for the 36^th annual Spina Bifida Conference in Orlando, Florida. The National Conference was also held in conjunction with the 20^th Conference of the International Federation for Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus. Multiple families from the North Texas Chapter were in attendance at the Conference as well as a small delegation of SBANT Staff and Board Members.

The 36^th annual Conference offered many meetings on new medical advances, practical workshops and celebratory social gatherings as well as an informative trade show to complete the week-long event.

One of the most profound messages of the Conference was that we all need to be Spina Bifida Advocates in our communities. Joyce Jones, president of the National SBA Board of Directors introduced the importance of advocacy to the meeting attendees, while multiple speakers built upon the theme. Joyce reminded all meeting attendees of the importance of stepping forward in our communities to create a difference in the health and well being of all living with Spina Bifida. Noting that the CDC recently recalculated the estimated number of individuals living with Spina Bifida in the US close to 185,000 people, she made a point of reminding attendees that Spina Bifida is the most common permanently disabling birth defect. This number was elevated from the original CDC calculation of 70,000.  

The 35^th Annual SBA conference brought light and encouragement to all in attendance on the future of those living with Spina Bifida today, and for those to be born with the disability in the future.