We can’t always see pain. But you can create a world where people don’t needlessly suffer.

Jennifer was adventurous, giving, and fiercely loyal. She was the friend who made special moments memorable.

She lived with Spina Bifida her whole life, and her infectious spirit masked the invisible pain she carried.

From a young age, Jennifer and her family navigated a healthcare system that saw physical challenges but failed to recognize struggles with mental health. As a child, she encountered unkind comments about her weight. She watched her school administrators pay for a new football field, while the building where she attended classes remained inaccessible. Her father fought for her rights under the Americans with Disabilities Act, but it was always an uphill battle.

Jennifer’s frustration became her superpower. She joined the Spina Bifida Association’s National Youth Leadership Council and met with government leaders to advocate for policy change. She wanted to create a world where young people with Spina Bifida flourish.

But behind her strength was emotional pain. Pain that others couldn’t recognize. Jennifer struggled with mental illness and addiction.

She looked for doctors who would see her as a whole person, but there is no roadmap, no specialized mental health support, and no coordinated care system for people like her.

Jennifer was convinced she would prevail, but during one heartbreaking moment in her recovery, she reached out to a man she thought she could trust. He promised her a place to stay—a safe space during a particularly difficult time. But when he learned she used a wheelchair, he turned her away. Jennifer called her brother, devastated, saying she had lost faith—in the system, in people, and in hope.

We lost Jennifer two years ago. The world lost a bright spirit who wanted a better future for others like her.

More than two-thirds of people live with anxiety, depression, or emotional trauma.

Mental health challenges are widespread in the Spina Bifida community. And yet, few healthcare professionals are equipped to understand the mental health challenges people with Spina Bifida face. Too many people are left to “piece it together” on their own, like Jennifer did.

You can change that.

Your compassion can bring hope where it’s desperately needed. Your generosity can build the support network Jennifer never had, but that others still can. Your gift can ensure Jennifer’s passionate pursuit of a better, healthier world for people with Spina Bifida will continue.

When you give today, you become the reason someone doesn’t give up. You become their advocate, their resource, and their reminder that they are not alone.

Your gift today will:

• Provide Community Information & Ask the Expert Sessions—vital support tools and services for people navigating complex emotional challenges.

• Sustain Spina Bifida Peer Groups, a place where people can find connection, understanding, and strength from others walking a similar path.

• Expand the Spina Bifida Patient Registry, giving researchers and providers critical tools to improve mental health care across our community and support the whole person.

Just like Jennifer, you can advocate for people with Spina Bifida and educate providers and policymakers so they address the whole person, not just the diagnosis.

YOU can build a world where people like Jennifer—and the thousands of others living with Spina Bifida—have options, support, and the compassion they deserve.

Let’s honor Jennifer’s memory by doing what she always did: make the world better for someone else.

P.S. Jennifer tackled class 5 rapids, traveled, and cheered on her brother with unwavering pride. She had so much to give. Let’s make sure no one else feels forgotten or unsupported. Your gift today can help prevent another loss tomorrow. Thank you.

If Jennifer’s story resonates with you, or if you or someone you love is navigating emotional pain, know that you’re not alone. Click here to access mental health resources that offer support, understanding, and hope.

If you or someone you know is struggling or in a crisis, help is available.

Call or text 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline or chat at 988lifeline.org