Spina Bifida Association of Kentucky

06/19/2026

Today is Day 5 of Learning Disability Week.

Students with spina bifda often show a unique pattern of reading strengths and challenges.

Common difficulties may include:
📖 Understanding the main idea
🧩 Making inferences ("reading between the lines")
💡 Understanding figurative language and humor
📝 Summarizing information
🧠 Remembering details while reading
🔍 Seeing the "big picture" of a text

Every person with spina bifida is unique. Reading strengths and challenges can vary, and many individuals thrive with appropriate supports and accommodations.

06/18/2026

It's Day 4 of Learning Disability Week.

Earlier this week, we mentioned that some individuals may struggle with Math & Reading. Let's dive into some common math challenges associated with Spina Bifida.

*Understanding abstract math concepts
*Mental arithmetic and calculation speed
*Multi-step problem solving
*Estimating quantities and measurements
*Understanding spatial relationships in geometry
*Organizing numbers correctly on a page
*Applying math skills to real-world situations (money, time, schedules)

Math Challenges with Spina Bifida can be associated with several learning disabilities. It's not uncommon for someone with spina bifida to be diagnosed with Dyscalculia, which affects a person's ability to understand numbers and learn math facts and concepts, or the broader diagnosis of a Specific Learning Disorder (with impairment in mathematics), which includes dyscalculia and other math challenges.

Another common diagnosis, ADHD, while not specifically a learning disability, can significantly affect math performance.

Nonverbal Learning Disorder is commonly related to visual-spatial difficulties, which can cause challenges with geometry, graphs, and measurement.

Targeted support and accommodations in math can benefit individuals with spina bifida who struggle with math.

06/17/2026

It's Day 3 of Learning Disability Week!

When people think about spina bifida, they often focus on the visible physical disability. People with spina bifida may use a wheelchair, braces, or other mobility aids.

What many don't see are the invisible challenges that can come with the condition, including executive functioning, processing speed, and learning differences. Executive dysfunction is common with spina bifida and can create obstacles in all aspects of life, not just in the classroom.

Supporting individuals with spina bifida means recognizing both the visible and invisible parts of their journey.

06/16/2026

Join us for the 2026 SBAK Walk-N-Roll for Spina Bifida & Help Build a Better and Brighter Future for all those impacted by Spina Bifida!

We're excited to announce that our Louisville Walk-N-Roll is getting a summer makeover this year!

Mark your calendars for August 22 and get ready for a day of community, fun, and impact.

This year, we are pairing the Walk-N-Roll with a Summer Family Picnic Celebration filled with food, fellowship, and activities for the whole family. We're hoping to bring together more participants than ever before as we raise critical funds to support our mission. Walk or roll along the accessible path surrounding the Ogle Foundation Woodland Pavilion in the beautiful Broadrun Park and visit the nearby Cliffside playground and sprayground to make a splash! This is sure to be a Walk-n-Roll unlike any other!

Here's how you can help:
✅ Register your Team at sbakwalk.org
✅ Create and share your fundraising page
✅ Invite friends, family, and coworkers to support your efforts
✅ Help spread the word! The SBAK Walk-N-Roll is our largest fundraiser and celebration of our community.

Every dollar raised helps us continue providing programs, services, and support to those who depend on our organization. Whether you walk, roll, volunteer, donate, or cheer from the sidelines, your involvement makes a real difference.

Let's make this year's Louisville Walk-N-Roll our biggest and most successful event yet. Sign up today, start fundraising, and join us for an unforgettable summer celebration on August 22!

Together, we can go farther, raise more, and change lives.

06/16/2026

June 15th-21st is Learning Disability Week!

Spina Bifida is not just a physical disability - it's also a developmental disability, and many forms of spina bifida can also result in changes within the brain, such as Chiari II malformation and hydrocephalus.

Many individuals with Spina bifida experience learning disabilities and cognitive challenges.

While most children with spina bifida have normal intelligence, many experience specific learning weaknesses, especially those who have hydrocephalus (excess fluid on the brain). Hydrocephalus is only treated through brain surgery, most commonly with a shunt. Both the excess fluid and the surgical treatment put these children at risk for potential brain injury.

The key learning & cognitive challenges of Spina Bifida include:
Executive Functioning
Math & Reading
Processing Speed
Memory

06/15/2026

Today marks the start of Learning Disability Week and the second installment of the SBAK Summer Success Series!

Throughout the week, we'll highlight strengths, share helpful resources, and celebrate the unique ways individuals with learning disabilities learn, grow, and succeed.

We were excited to support 3 students last week and look forward to growing that support in the coming weeks. It's not too late to join us today at 11am!

If you have a student in Louisville or the surrounding area and would like to register for the SB Summer Success Series, do so here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScM1BltDvGWQOwatZrIZlZa8cfUPZIqFQEA86s39Orba0p1qw/viewform?usp=sharing&ouid=109217707778005219747

06/09/2026

The Spina Bifida Association of Kentucky is excited to share the Spina Bifida Association's announcement that Judy Thibadeau, BSN, MN, is beginning her well-deserved retirement, and Colleen Payne, MRC, will be sliding into her role as the new Director of Research and Services.

"During her tenure as Director of Research and Services, Judy played a pivotal role in advancing SBA’s research, clinical care, and service initiatives. Her contributions helped strengthen partnerships with clinics and healthcare professionals nationwide, expand the Clinical Care Meeting, support the growth of the Adult Advisory Council, and further SBA’s commitment to improving outcomes for individuals with Spina Bifida across the lifespan. Her leadership and dedication have left a lasting impact on the organization and the community we serve."

Colleen is well-known in the SB community not only as a former SBAK Executive Director and former Chair of the SBAK Board of Directors, but as a parent of a young adult with Spina bifida. We are so excited for Colleen and the experience and commitment she will bring to her new position at the Spina Bifida Association, and look forward to working with her to advance initiatives to build a better and brighter future for all those impacted by spina bifida right here in Kentucky and Southern Indiana.

06/05/2026

Because of generous donors like you, the WHAS Crusade for Children changes the lives of children throughout Kentuckiana. The vital support that SBAK receives from the Crusade allows us to provide free resources, programming, and social interaction for the members of the Spina Bifida community.
Donate today!

1️⃣ DAY until the 73rd WHAS Crusade for Children! ⏳🚒

This weekend, communities across and Southern will unite once again to help children with health care, educational, and emotional wellness needs.

It takes all of us to create this annual miracle. THANK YOU for helping to change children’s lives through America's most successful local telethon ❤️🤍💙

BE A HERO! CHANGE A CHILD'S LIFE. 100% for the kids!
🔹 CashApp: $crusadechildren
🔹 Venmo: CrusadeForChildren
🔹 PayPal: WHAS Crusade for Children
🔹 Online: WHASCrusade.org
🔹 Mail: 520 W. Chestnut St., Louisville, KY 40202

06/05/2026

🎓 Congratulations to Our Graduates! 🎓

Graduation Season is HERE! The Spina Bifida Association of Kentucky is celebrating every milestone achieved by members of our Spina Bifida community!

Whether you're moving from elementary to middle school, middle school to high school, graduating from high school, earning a college degree, or reaching another educational milestone, your hard work, determination, and perseverance deserve recognition.

Every graduation represents goals met, challenges overcome, and exciting new opportunities ahead. While each journey is unique, every step forward is worth celebrating. We are incredibly proud of all that our graduates have accomplished and can't wait to see what comes next.

📸 Shout out your graduate in the comments so we can celebrate as a community!

Join us in congratulating the Class of 2026 and all students reaching new milestones this year! 🎉