It may startle some, but people in a few countries still banish cleft lip and palate kids to back rooms due to beliefs, like those espoused in the Old Testament, that clefts have been touched by Satan and made imperfect and impure. Even in more recent times, great writers have promulgated backward beliefs regarding deformities. Shakespeare’s ruthless protagonist in Richard III, for example, convinced audiences for centuries that Satan had touched deformed people. A while ago I came across … [Read more...]
Incredible Athletes who’ve Overcome Birth Defects & Disabilities
Next time you want to veg out on that couch, think of the incredible athletes who've overcome birth defects (e.g., cerebral palsy, spina bifida, fibular hemimelia) and acquired disabilities (e.g.,cancer, war injuries, auto accidents). For info on a dozen or so disabled athletes--including Paralympic gold medalist Tatyanna McFadden and major league pitcher Jim Abbott, pictured here-- see … [Read more...]
If anyone you know has a broken heart, especially a child . . .
Congenital heart defects Each year 35,000 babies come into the world with congenital heart defects (CHD). The National Institutes of Health reports CHDs are responsible for more deaths in the first year of life than any other birth defects. Over a million Americans alive today were born with heart defects. If immediate family members are counted, that means five million people have been affected by CHDs. Also, each year 1.3 million people suffer heart attacks. About 30 million Americans have … [Read more...]