Did you know that October is National Spina Bifida Month? Spina bifida is a neural birth defect that can cause leg, bladder and bowel damage in infants and children. Addicted star Boris Kodjoe explained how the disorder affects his daughter in an interview with Hello Beautiful.
“Our daughter Sophie was diagnosed with spina bifida and thank God she has leg function. But she doesn’t have bladder function so she has to catheterize herself every three hours,” Kodjoe said.
Kodjoe, along with his wife Nicole Ari Parker, started the foundation Sophie’s Voice to raise awareness about the birth defect.
“Three out of four babies would not have to be born with this every single day,” Kodjoe said, “It’s up to you to protect yourself with folic acid. Folic acid is a vitamin B that prevents birth defects such as spina bifida by up to 75%. That’s a big number.”
In addition to helping educate people about the disease, Sophie’s Voice also seeks to get governments around the world to add folic acid to rice and flour, Kodjoe says. “When you do that, women all over the world are protected automatically. And the numbers go down by 50% within six months.”
“We are extremely excited and motivated be a voice for the unheard, and to provide education about prevention, and a possible cure for this most preventable birth defect,” Parker writes on the foundation website.
Learn more about Sophie’s Voice here.
