April 19, 2010 - "CDH Awareness Day"

CHERUBS hereby declares April 19, 2010 as "CDH Awareness Day" - as today it was granted back to the people it truly belongs to - CDH families and researchers!

http://ttabvue.uspto.gov/ttabvue/v?pno=92050284&pty=CAN&eno=2


TTAB Ruling - April 19, 2010

The beginning of it all.  The initial application to own a trademark on "Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia Awareness", filed April 1, 2008 


http://tmportal.uspto.gov/external/portal/tow?SRCH=Y&isSubmitted=true&details=&SELECT=US+Serial+No&TEXT=77436855#


Note that the turquoise ribbon and proclamations are included in the application to own a trademark on "Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia Awareness".   

 There is an additional trademark on "Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia Awareness DAY", which was filed December 29, 2008.  It also includes the turquoise ribbon.  http://tmportal.uspto.gov/external/portal/tow?SRCH=Y&isSubmitted=true&details=&SELECT=US+Serial+No&TEXT=77640674#




CHERUBS petition to the TTAB Court (supported by several CDH groups and 1000's of families) to cancel the trademark to keep CDH Awareness free for all:

http://ttabvue.uspto.gov/ttabvue/v?pno=92050284&pty=CAN&eno=2

Recent response from the TTAB, which caused Breath of Hope to relinquish the trademark.

After 2 long years, Breath of Hope did the right thing:

Today, April 19, 2010, "Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia Awareness" is given back to the CDH community.  Owned by no one, trademarked by no one, a date not specific to any person or organization.  While most raise CDH awareness every day, today is the first day in 3 years that we can do so without fear. 


Let's all move forward!




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From BoH's Blog - 

"The Senate passed S. Resolution 204 for March 31, 2010 to be Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia Awareness Day please click here to see this - this was done unanimously on April 14, 2010. Breath of Hope and other organizations have faced fierce opposition but this is proof that good prevails.

Since we started this campaign in 2007, there have been six entities that have started conducting medical research to benefit Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia. Awareness leads to medical research that will lead to answers and treatments."

Does anyone know of anyone who opposed the day?  We know 1000's who opposed the TRADEMARKS on CDH Awareness and CDH Awareness Day and they opposed the use of the proclamations in those trademarks that were used to threaten and harass others.  And those who opposed the "ownership" of the day that allowed only select groups to participate.  But we don't know anyone who would oppose a day that may bring about CDH Awareness.  Did we miss something?

Also.... does anyone know those "6 entities that started their research as a result of this day"? I know of 1 that started thanks to a donation from CDH families in St. Louis on that day... but if we're missing 5 others, someone please let us know so that we can get families to join in on research. We do know of 5 others (and more) that are conducting CDH research - but knowing those researchers, we're sure given the fact that most signed the petition against the trademarks and they were researching CDH long before BoH came into existence... they might be understandably insulted by that statement. 

"faced fierce opposition but this is proof that good prevails"... we suppose CHERUBS is the "opposition" because we dared to speak up against the trademarks.

"Good" would be doing something good for the sake of helping others without any other motives, without causing or threatening harm to others.  That is most peoples' definition of good anyway.

Will CHERUBS participate in helping with the 2011 bill for the day?  Probably not.  It's still trademarked.  We may however put aside April 19th as a day to celebrate the fact that CDH Awareness is no longer trademarked and free for everyone to use without fear again.  1000's of families and researchers fought for that and it should be celebrated.

Sincerely.... congratulations to BOH on getting the bill passed. We do support all CDH awareness projects, even if we can't / chose not to participate in them. A lot of CDH families worked hard to write letters to get the day passed and it is a fete to have a unanimous vote by our politicians to help these babies. BOH and the families involved should be proud of their accomplishment.

And we do extend an invitation to BOH and all other groups to join in to help with the CDH Research Bill. It is not trademarked.  Our only mission is CDH Research and helping these babies.