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Ladybug CDH Foundation

  • Introduction

    The Ladybug CDH Foundation is a 501(c)3 non profit organization
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  • Our Mission

    The mission of our foundation is to raise awareness of the birth defect congenital diaphragmatic hernia and to raise money to donate towards research and as financial assistance to families in the Pacific Northwest affected by CDH..

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  • What We Do

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  • How You Can Help

    The easiest way to help is to make a tax-deductible donation. You will receive a receipt for tax purposes and any amount is greatly appreciated. If you would like to send a donation in memory/in honor of someone, we will send a letter acknowledging the gift. 50% of donations will go towards research projects and 50% toward financial assistance to families affected by CDH in the Pacific Northwest.Money raised. You can also help by donating your time and skills. We are always looking for enthusiastic volunteers to help with fundraising events. Contact us to be added to a volunteer list mailing list.
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What is CDH?

Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia (CDH) is a congenital malformation (birth defect) of the diaphragm in which a hole in the diaphragm allows abdominal organs to move into the chest and restrict lung development. Congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) is a birth defect that occurs in about one in every 2,500 live births. It is characterized by the development, very early in gestation, of a hole in the diaphragm, the breathing muscle that separates the chest from the abdomen. The hole occurs most commonly on the left side. As a result, the intestines and other organs in the abdomen can move into the chest and compress the developing lungs. This prevents the lungs from growing and developing normally, which can cause reduced blood flow to the lungs and pulmonary hypertension (high blood pressure in the pulmonary circulation). “ CHOP most common type of CDH is a Bochdalek hernia; other types include Morgagni hernia, diaphragm eventration and central tendon defects of the diaphragm.

Malformation of the diaphragm allows the abdominal organs to push into the proper lung formation. CDH is a life-threatening pathology in infants, and a major cause of death due to two complications: pulmonary hypoplasia and pulmonary hypertension. Experts disagree on the relative importance of these two conditions, with some focusing on hypoplasia, others on hypertension. Newborns with CDH often have severe respiratory distress which can be life-threatening unless treated appropriately. The wide, flat muscle that separates the chest and abdominal cavities is called the diaphragm. The diaphragm forms when a fetus is at 8 weeks’ gestation. When it does not form completely, a defect, called a congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH), is created. This is a hole in the muscle between the chest and the abdomen.

Latest CDH News

  • U.S. Senate unanimously passed a resolution designating April 2015 as National Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia Awareness Month +

    WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator Jeff Sessions (R-AL) issued the following statement today after the Senate unanimously passed his resolution designating April 2015 as National Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia Awareness Month. Sessions’ grandson, Jim Beau, was born with CDH Read More

  • UGA researchers discover gene associated with deadly birth defect +

    Researchers at the University of Georgia have discovered a specific gene may play a major role in the development of a life-threatening birth defect called congenital diaphragmatic hernia, or CDH, which affects approximately one out of every 3,000 live births. Read More

  • Ladybug Foundation Founder featured in Runner's World Magazine +

    Ladybug Foundation founder, Liz Dooley was featured in Runner's World in October and describes her experiences with a daughter born with CDH and how she started the Ladybug Run for CDH Awareness, a 5 and 10K run to raise money for Northwest families affected by CDH. Read More

  • New study opens door to preventative treatments for congenital diaphragmatic hernia +

    Congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) is not as well known as muscular dystrophy and cystic fibrosis, but like them it is a life-threatening birth defect, and is just as common. Occurring in one in 3,000 births, CDH causes the guts and liver to protrude through a defective diaphragm and into the chest cavity, where they interfere with the lungs. Although many genetic mutations have been linked to CDH, a new study from the University of Utah School of Medicine is the first to demonstrate a linkage between genetic variation and a physiological mechanism that gives rise to defects in the diaphragm. The research points to a crucial role for connective tissue in CDH, and in guiding normal development of the diaphragm. These findings will be published March 25, 2015, in Nature Genetics. Read More

  • Rensselaer Researchers Contribute to Discovery of Gene Associated With Deadly Birth Defect +

    A team including researchers from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute have discovered that a specific gene may play a major role in the development of a life-threatening birth defect called congenital diaphragmatic hernia, or CDH, which affects approximately one out of every 3,000 live births. The hallmark of CDH is a rupture of the diaphragm that allows organs found in the lower abdomen, such as the liver, spleen, and intestines, to push their way into the chest cavity. The invading organs crowd the limited space and can lead to abnormal lung and heart development or poor heart and lung function, which, depending on the severity of the condition, can cause disability or death. In a paper published recently in the Journal of Clinical Investigation, lead authors at the University of Georgia, along with colleagues from the Rensselaer and the University of California at San Diego, demonstrated for the first time that the gene NDST1 plays a significant role in the proper development of the diaphragm, and that abnormal expression of the gene could lead to CDH. Read More
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Make A Donation

The Ladybug CDH Foundation is a 501(c)3 non profit organization and all donations are tax-deductible. All donations go to northwest families affected by CDH. We will send you a receipt for tax purposes and any amount is greatly appreciated. If you would like to send a donation in memory / honor of someone, we will send a letter acknowledging the gift. 50% of our donations will go towards research projects and 50% will go towards financial assistance to families affected by CDH in the Pacific Northwest.

Mail checks to:

Ladybug CDH Foundation
PO Box 25803
Portland, Oregon 97298

Ladybug CDH Foundation