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Ronald McDonald House Charities Canada (RMHC) has donated $11,400 to SB&H to provide free books to young people with spina bifida and/or hydrocephalus through the SB&H Kidz and Youth Book Club.

For a child or teenager with spina bifida and/or hydrocephalus (sb/h), books can open the door to understanding and coping with their complex, incurable neurological conditions and enhance their self-confidence.

“This very generous donation from RMHC will enable us to give 1,090 books to five to 19-year-olds across Ontario and have an important out-of-print book reprinted,” said Joan Booth, Executive Director, SB&H. “RMHC is providing an extremely valuable service. Using a fun, engaging and positive approach, the books prepare the readers for a life in which they can thrive.”

The books are a vital resource for both young people and their families. One parent commented: “Spina bifida is explained in words my child understands and the book answers questions she didn’t want to ask. The book was a very big help not only for my child, but also for me, as it’s tough to accept.“

The RMHC donation will be celebrated during a presentation on August 30 at McDonald’s at 1221 King Street West, Toronto. Media are encouraged to attend.

More than 2,000 young people in Ontario have sb/h. Spina bifida is the number one permanently disabling birth defect in Canada. One in 1,300 babies is born with spina bifida and even more have hydrocephalus. In Canada, hydrocephalus is the number one cause for brain surgery in babies. Some children with spina bifida are quadriplegic; others require feeding tubes and are non-verbal. Many need wheelchairs or walk with the assistance of braces or crutches.