Why National Venues will be lighting up for Shine this October

The National Library of Wales will be lighting up this October to help make ‘hidden’ disabilities more visible.

The charity Shine is calling on its supporters and the public to #GoYellow during Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus Awareness Week: 24th-31st October, and especially on World Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus Day, Tuesday 25th October, to help raise awareness of these conditions.

The historic National Library in Aberystwyth will be one of eight prestigious venues lighting up for the cause during the week.

Shine, which is celebrating its golden anniversary year, runs services and campaigns for more than 11,000 members in Wales, England and Northern Ireland. Shine supporters will be having fun and fundraising around the #GoYellow theme, and the charity’s logo will also be bouncing around social media to see how far it can go.

Behind the fun there is a serious message. The charity is calling for better access to health and social services for people with spina bifida and hydrocephalus, both complex conditions. In particular, improving access to health hubs, so that the many specialists needed can be seen on one day, thereby reducing cost, stress and improving patient outcomes.

Other prestigious buildings around the country to light up during the week include The Senedd, Cardiff Bay; Cardiff City Hall; St George’s Hall, Liverpool; Leeds Arena; Belfast City Hall; Norwich City Hall and Peterborough’s historic Avenue of Trees.

Spina bifida and hydrocephalus are life threatening conditions, known as ‘neural tube defects’, which can affect a child’s development, motor skills, and ability to cope with everyday life. This can have a huge impact on the whole family. Many children with spina bifida also have hydrocephalus - which can also occur later in life - and experience many operations and complications. Taking folic acid, with vitamin B8, three months before conception until the fourth month of pregnancy can reduce the risk of a baby developing neural tube defects.

Shine responds to more than 14,500 requests for help each year, and provides specialist support from before birth and throughout the life of anyone living with spina bifida and/or hydrocephalus, as well as to parents, families, carers and professional care staff.
For more information and to get involved see www.shinecharity.org.uk

Further Information

Elin-Hâf 01970 632471 or post@llgc.org.uk
Debra Chand  debra.chand@shinecharity.org.uk