"Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia Awareness" trademark and CDH Summit Update

Several weeks ago, CHERUBS put out an olive branch to try to end the turmoil surround the trademark on CDH Awareness and all the ensuing drama, slander and juvenile behavior that has plagued our community so that we can all move forward and focus all of our time, efforts and resources towards helping families affected by Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia. 

CHERUBS is very disappointed to report  that the trademark settlement / peace conference / CDH summit will not take place.

Breath of Hope, Inc has decided that they will not attend any meetings to discuss the trademark and other issues.  They do not want to work together and do not wish to discuss any common goals to work positively for the CDH community and that they still want to retain the trademark.  

This is the last of several attempts that CHERUBS has made to try to bring peace to the CDH community and to protect all CDH families right to raise awareness.  Every attempt has been denied.

As a goodwill gesture, we have offered not to contest their trademark on Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia Awareness Day and let Breath of Hope have their day and their proclamation without our CDH parents participating at all to avoid more drama, threats and attacks.  Even though that trademark and the proclamations are being used in their argument that only Breath of Hope should be able to use the phrase Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia Awareness.   We simply as that the trademark on Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia Awareness be removed and all charities, groups, researchers and families be free to raise CDH awareness in peace.  Elizabeth Doyle-Propst is not open to any negotiating.

This is very disappointing because it is in the entire CDH community's best interests for all CDH groups to work together for the common good.   We extend our apologies and regrets to all those affected by this trademark and this drama.  We tried but we have failed to put an end to this nonsense.

We have already had several complaints and issues filed against us again in the past few weeks in regard to our volunteers using the phrase "Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia Awareness" without permission of Breath of Hope, Inc.   We also received an "anonymous" threat that we will be reported to the IRS if we try to lobby a Congressional Bill against the trademark - a threat that seems is not empty. 

Also in the past few weeks, an inaccurate blog posting that "CHERUBS is suing" Breath of Hope was posted by that group.  This is not true and is a twist of facts.   Breath of Hope, Inc filed to own a trademark on "Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia Awareness" and then began to subject CHERUBS to various company complaints, federal complaints, state complaints, etc.

We have no choice but to continue the fight against the trademark on "Congential Diaphragmatic Hernia Awareness" to protect our organization and the entire CDH community.   We will also continue to work on the Congressional Bill to help protect all causes from this type of corporate greed.