Birth Defect Awareness Killed by Sensational Media

Sensational reporting is the death of certainty and social awareness. The reporters seek to please their editors. The editors wish to please the paper’s owners. The owners want to make money. The public needs to be amused. Amusement is the undoing of truth.

On October 17^th, 2014, Christian Faith Benge collapsed and died in an Ohio haunted house attraction. The mainstream media picked up the story several days later. The problem? They completely ignored the actual cause of her collapse. Christian was born with Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia (CDH) along with other birth defects. These complications ultimately led to her enlarged heart stopping in the middle of the Halloween attraction.

CDH AWARENESS

CDH is a birth defect found in 1 out of every 2500 babies. It has a 50% mortality rate. The cause is not known.
Non-profit organization, CHERUBS- The Association of Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia Research, Awareness, and Support, is headquartered in Wake Forest, NC. For 19 years now, CHERUBS has advocated for and aided families with CDH babies. By completely ignoring the root cause of Christian’s death, the media struck a punishing blow to organizations like CHERUBS.
Instead of informing the public about this deadly defect, news sources spun the story to advertise Halloween activities. Instead of reporting the facts, papers opted for click-bait styled headlines. Instead of giving potential donors information, journalists capitalized on the real emotion felt by everyone hurt by this event.
Sensational headlines like the following did nothing but stir up strife for Christian’s family and friends.

“Scared to Death? Teen Has Fatal Heart Attack at Ohio Haunted House” by Hasani Gittens (NBC News)

“Did a Haunted House Scare This Teen to Death?” by Leah Rocketto (PopSugar)

“Ohio Teen With ‘Time Bomb’ Heart Condition Fatally Collapses While Walking Through Haunted House” by Rida Ahmed (HNGN)

“Family Denies Teen Was ‘Scared to Death’ at Haunted House” by Gillian Mohney (ABC News via Good Morning America)

“Christian Faith Benge Dies After Heart Stops In Haunted House” by Andres Jauregui (Huffington Post)

“Can You Be Scared to Death at a Halloween Haunted House?” by INSIDE EDITION

In that last article by INSIDE EDITION, the mother, Jean Benge, is quoted saying, “It’s not fair to us and the family to read the awful articles that she was scared to death,” yet they still chose to publish the article with that same incendiary phrase.

The blame does not solely rest on the media. They have money to make. The public starves for entertainment. They seek distractions from the reality of everyday life. Caught up in sensational phenomena like we saw with the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge, the public makes Idiocracy reminiscent videos rather than educating themselves about the actual disease.

TAKING BACK THE MEDIA

To regain ethical journalism, we must understand the symbiotic relationship between the media and the public. We, as a reading community, need to hold news outlets accountable for the quality of facts-based reporting. Likewise, the media needs to encourage our society to look at the facts, to think critically, and to embrace an awareness of their neighbors. If we can agree to fulfill this idea of accountability, then our social consciousness will be more in harmony than any other time in recent history.

In order to understand the weight of how detrimental fear-mongering and click-driven journalism really is, we must first look outward and then inward. Look outward to Christian Benge. Look at her life. Look at how hard she fought for 16 years. Imagine her mother, Jean Benge. For 16 years, she watched her beautiful daughter grow up- against all odds. Be empathetic to their suffering.
Now, look at the headlines. Look at how the news sources dealt so heartlessly with her story. How they turned a blind eye toward the cause of Christian’s death. How they could have brought CDH to the public eye. How would you like to be remembered as the girl who was “scared to death?” No, let us remember Christian Benge how we would want to be remembered: as an individual who succumbed to a lifelong struggle with a vastly unknown birth defect.

SAVE THE CHERUBS

Keep your thoughts and prayers with the Benge family. Keep your thoughts and prayers with all the CDH families across the globe.

If you want more information or want to donate toward CDH Awareness, Support, and Research, visit the CHERUBS website.

1460 news outlets picked up our press release "1000's of Real Life Tiny Tims Need Christmas Miracle of 100,000 Votes to Win Grants In Pepsi Refresh" last week!

Now, we need to keep the CDH Awareness momentum going!!!! Please change your Facebook, Twitter, Myspace profile photo for Thursday and help us to help CDH babies!

http://www.google.com/search?q=%221000%27s+of+Real+Life+Tiny+Tims+Need+Christmas+Miracle+of+100%2C000+Votes+to+Win+Grants+In+Pepsi+Refresh%22&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a

Below is list of some of the sites who reposted our press release:

SITE	LINK TO POST	INDUSTRY	VISITORS PER DAY
Yahoo!	Link...	General News	70,568,000
Reuters	Link...	Business/Financial	858,000
MarketWatch	Link...	Business/Financial	554,000
AOL DailyFinance	Link...	N/A	463,000
Atlanta Business Chronicle	Link...	Business/Financial	250,000
Austin Business Journal	Link...	Business/Financial	250,000
Baltimore Business Journal	Link...	Business/Financial	250,000
Birmingham Business Journal	Link...	Business/Financial	250,000
Boston Business Journal	Link...	Business/Financial	250,000
Business First of Buffalo	Link...	Business/Financial	250,000
Business First of Columbus	Link...	Business/Financial	250,000
Business First of Louisville	Link...	Business/Financial	250,000
Business Journal of Greater Milwaukee	Link...	Business/Financial	250,000
Business Journal of Phoenix	Link...	Business/Financial	250,000
Business Journal of the Greater Triad Area	Link...	Business/Financial	250,000
Business Review (Albany)	Link...	Business/Financial	250,000
Charlotte Business Journal	Link...	Business/Financial	250,000
Cincinnati Business Courier	Link...	Business/Financial	250,000
Dallas Business Journal	Link...	Business/Financial	250,000
Dayton Business Journal	Link...	Business/Financial	250,000
Denver Business Journal	Link...	Business/Financial	250,000
East Bay Business Times	Link...	Business/Financial	250,000
Houston Business Journal	Link...	Business/Financial	250,000
Jacksonville Business Journal	Link...	Business/Financial	250,000
Kansas City Business Journal	Link...	Business/Financial	250,000
Los Angeles Business from bizjournals	Link...	Business/Financial	250,000
Memphis Business Journal	Link...	Business/Financial	250,000
Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal	Link...	Business/Financial	250,000
Nashville Business Journal	Link...	Business/Financial	250,000
New Mexico Business Weekly	Link...	Business/Financial	250,000
Orlando Business Journal	Link...	Business/Financial	250,000
Pacific Business News	Link...	Business/Financial	250,000
Philadelphia Business Journal	Link...	Business/Financial	250,000
Pittsburgh Business Times	Link...	Business/Financial	250,000
Portland Business Journal	Link...	Business/Financial	250,000
Puget Sound Business Journal	Link...	Business/Financial	250,000
Sacramento Business Journal	Link...	Business/Financial	250,000
San Antonio Business Journal	Link...	Business/Financial	250,000
San Francisco Business Times	Link...	Business/Financial	250,000
San Jose Business Journal	Link...	Business/Financial	250,000
South Florida Business Journal	Link...	Business/Financial	250,000
St. Louis Business Journal	Link...	Business/Financial	250,000
Tampa Bay Business Journal	Link...	Business/Financial	250,000
Triangle Business Journal	Link...	Business/Financial	250,000
Washington Business Journal	Link...	Business/Financial	250,000
Wichita Business Journal	Link...	Business/Financial	250,000
TheStreet.com	Link...	N/A	248,000
Breitbart.com	Link...	General News	142,000
Money Control (India)	Link...	N/A	35,000
BioAlabama.com	Link...	Healthcare/Hospitals	34,000
KSLA CBS-12 (Shreveport, LA)	Link...	Media	26,000
WAFB CBS-9 (Baton Rouge, LA)	Link...	Media	25,000
WISTV NBC-10 (Columbia, SC)	Link...	Media	21,000
KWTV-TV CBS-9 (Oklahoma City, OK)	Link...	Media	20,000
KATV-TV ABC-7 (Little Rock, AR)	Link...	N/A	18,000
KOTV-TV CBS-6 (Tulsa, OK)	Link...	Media	18,000
WTOL CBS-11 (Toledo, OH)	Link...	Media	17,000
WFMZ-TV Channel 69 Allentown, PA	Link...	N/A	16,000
WSFA NBC-12 (Montgomery, AL)	Link...	Media	15,000
WALB NBC-10 (Albany, GA)	Link...	Media	14,000
WBRC-TV FOX-6 MyFox Birmingham (Birmingham, AL)	Link...	N/A	14,000
WFIE NBC-14 (Evansville, IN)	Link...	Media	14,000
WTVF-TV CBS-5 (Nashville, TN)	Link...	Media	14,000
WTHR NBC-13 (Indianapolis, IN)	Link...	Media	13,000
KSTP-TV ABC-5 (Saint Paul, MN)	Link...	N/A	12,000
AlphaTrade Finance	Link...	Business/Financial	11,000
KHQ-TV NBC-6 (Spokane, WA)	Link...	Media	11,000
WBTV CBS-3 (Charlotte, NC)	Link...	Media	11,000
WCAX CBS-3 (Burlington, VT)	Link...	Media	11,000
WECT NBC-6 (Wilmington, NC)	Link...	Media	11,000
KFMB-TV CBS-8 (San Diego, CA)	Link...	N/A	10,000
KFVS CBS-12 (Cape Girardeau, MO)	Link...	Media	10,000
WBOC CBS-16 (Salisbury, MD)	Link...	Media	10,000
Digital Journal	Link...	N/A	9,000
KAIT ABC-8 (Jonesboro, AR)	Link...	Media	9,000
KLTV ABC-7 (Tyler, TX)	Link...	Media	9,000
KPLC NBC-7 (Lake Charles-Lafayette, LA)	Link...	Media	9,000
WBAY ABC-2 (Green Bay, WI)	Link...	Media	9,000
WLOX ABC-13 (Biloxi, MS)	Link...	Media	9,000
KWWL-TV NBC-7 (Waterloo, IA)	Link...	N/A	8,000
Earth Times	Link...	General News	7,000
KCBD NBC-11 (Lubbock, TX)	Link...	Media	7,000
KHNL-TV NBC-8 (Honolulu, HI)	Link...	N/A	7,000
KLFY CBS-10 (Lafayette, LA)	Link...	Media	7,000
WKRN ABC-2 (Nashville, TN)	Link...	Media	7,000
WLBT NBC-3 (Jackson, MS)	Link...	Media	7,000
WTOC CBS-11 (Savannah, GA)	Link...	Media	7,000
WXIX FOX-19 (Cincinnati, OH)	Link...	Media	7,000
WBMA-TV ABC-33 / ABC-40 (Birmingham, AL)	Link...	N/A	6,000
WTVM ABC-9 (Columbus, GA)	Link...	Media	6,000
KNDU-TV NBC (Kennewick, WA)	Link...	Media	5,000
KTNV-TV ABC-13 (Las Vegas, NV)	Link...	Media	5,000
KTUL-TV ABC-8 (Tulsa, OK)	Link...	N/A	5,000
News Blaze	Link...	General News	5,000
Ticker Technologies	Link...	Business/Financial	5,000
WAVE NBC-3 (Louisville, KY)	Link...	Media	5,000
WCSC CBS-5 (Charleston, SC)	Link...	Media	5,000
WLNE-TV ABC-6 (Providence, RI)	Link...	N/A	5,000
WWBT NBC-12 (Richmond, VA)	Link...	Media	5,000
WAFF NBC-48 (Huntsville, AL)	Link...	Media	4,000
WDRB FOX-41 (Louisville, KY)	Link...	Media	4,000
WGEM-TV NBC-10 (Quincy, IL)	Link...	N/A	4,000
WRIC ABC-8 (Richmond, VA)	Link...	Media	4,000
Autism News Today	Link...	N/A	3,000
FOREX Trading News Today	Link...	Business/Financial	3,000
Finance Industry Today	Link...	Business/Financial	3,000
Global Investing Today	Link...	Business/Financial	3,000
Healthcare Industry Today	Link...	Healthcare/Hospitals	3,000
KFDA CBS-10 (Amarillo, TX)	Link...	Media	3,000
KOLD CBS-13 (Tucson, AZ)	Link...	Media	3,000
KTIV NBC-4 (Sioux City, IA)	Link...	Media	3,000
KUSI-TV IND-51 (San Diego, CA)	Link...	N/A	3,000
WDAM NBC-7 (Hattiesburg-Laurel, MS)	Link...	Media	3,000
WHTM-TV ABC-27 (Harrisburg, PA)	Link...	N/A	3,000
WMBF NBC-32 (Myrtle Beach, SC)	Link...	Media	3,000
WRCB-TV NBC-3 (Chattanooga, TN)	Link...	N/A	3,000
WREX-TV NBC-13 (Rockford, IL)	Link...	N/A	3,000
ZeeNews (India)	Link...	N/A	3,000
KGUN ABC-9 (Tucson, AZ)	Link...	Media	2,000
KMPH-TV FOX-26 (Fresno, CA)	Link...	Media	2,000
KSWO-TV ABC-7 (Lawton, OK)	Link...	Media	2,000
KTRE ABC-9 (Lufkin, TX)	Link...	Media	2,000
KWQC NBC-6 (Davenport, IA)	Link...	Media	2,000
KXXV-TV ABC-25 (Waco, TX)	Link...	Media	2,000
WEHT-TV ABC-25 (Evansville, IN)	Link...	N/A	2,000
WFMJ-TV NBC-21 (Youngstown, OH)	Link...	Media	2,000
WSET-TV ABC-13 (Lynchburg, VA)	Link...	N/A	2,000
WTEN ABC-10 (Albany, NY)	Link...	Media	2,000
Webindia123.com	Link...	N/A	2,000
BioPortfolio	Link...	N/A	1,000
KMTV-TV CBS-3 (Omaha, NE)	Link...	Media	1,000
SYS-CON Media	Link...	Computer/Electronics/Technology	1,000
WFLX FOX-29 (West Palm Beach, FL)	Link...	Media	1,000
WSJV-TV FOX-28 (South Bend, IN)	Link...	Media	1,000
Arizona Republic	Link...	Media	NA
Ask the Experts	Link...	N/A	NA
Association of Energy Engineers	Link...	N/A	NA
Biz Daily (Singapore)	Link...	N/A	NA
Bolsamania (Web Financial Group)	Link...	Business/Financial	NA
DallasNews.com	Link...	Media	NA
Denton Record-Chronicle	Link...	N/A	NA
Distinctly Diva Beauty Network	Link...	N/A	NA
EnergyVortex.com	Link...	N/A	NA
Foreclosures Evictions and You	Link...	N/A	NA
GlobeSt.com	Link...	N/A	NA
HealthScout	Link...	Healthcare/Hospitals	NA
HealthSquare	Link...	Healthcare/Hospitals	NA
Hearing Review	Link...	Healthcare/Hospitals	NA
Interest!ALERT	Link...	General News	NA
Journal of Common Stock	Link...	N/A	NA
KALB-TV CBS-2 / NBC-5 (Alexandria, LA)	Link...	N/A	NA
KAUZ-TV CBS-6 (Wichita Falls, TX)	Link...	N/A	NA
KAZT IND-7 (Phoenix/Prescott, AZ)	Link...	Media	NA
KBMT-TV ABC-12 (Beaumont, TX)	Link...	N/A	NA
KCAU ABC-9 (Sioux City, IA)	Link...	Media	NA
KCBA-TV FOX-35 (Salinas, CA)	Link...	Media	NA
KCEN-TV NBC-9 (Temple, TX)	Link...	N/A	NA
KCOY CBS-12 (Santa Maria, CA)	Link...	Media	NA
KDUH-TV ABC-3 (Scottsbluff, NE)	Link...	N/A	NA
KFJX-TV FOX-14 (Pittsburg, KS)	Link...	Media	NA
KFMB 100.7 Jack-FM (San Diego, CA)	Link...	N/A	NA
KFRE-TV CW-59 (Fresno, CA)	Link...	N/A	NA
KFVE MyNetworkTV-5 (Honolulu, HI)	Link...	Media	NA
KION CBS-46 (Salinas, CA)	Link...	Media	NA
KIVI-TV ABC-6 (Boise, ID)	Link...	Media	NA
KKFX FOX-11 (Santa Maria, CA)	Link...	Media	NA
KLKN ABC-8 (Lincoln, NE)	Link...	Media	NA
KMEG-TV CBS-14 (Sioux City, IA)	Link...	Media	NA
KMIR NBC-6 (Palm Desert, CA)	Link...	Media	NA
KNDO-TV NBC-3 (Yakima, WA)	Link...	Media	NA
KNOE-TV CBS-8 (Monroe, LA)	Link...	Media	NA
KOAM-TV CBS-7 (Pittsburg, KS)	Link...	Media	NA
KOTA ABC-3 (Rapid City, SD)	Link...	Media	NA
KPTH-TV FOX-44 (Dakota Dunes, SD)	Link...	Media	NA
KPTM-TV FOX-42 (Omaha, NE)	Link...	Media	NA
KQCW CW-12/19 (Tulsa, OK)	Link...	Media	NA
KRHD-TV ABC-40 (Bryan-College Station, TX)	Link...	Media	NA
KSAW-TV ABC-51 (Twin Falls, ID)	Link...	N/A	NA
KSFY-TV ABC-13 (Sioux Falls, SD)	Link...	N/A	NA
KSTC-TV IND-45 (Saint Paul, MN)	Link...	N/A	NA
KSWT-TV CBS-13 (Yuma, AZ)	Link...	Media	NA
KTEN NBC-10 (Denison, TX)	Link...	Media	NA
KTRV-TV FOX-12 (Nampa, ID)	Link...	Media	NA
KTTC NBC-10 (Rochester, MN)	Link...	Media	NA
KTVG-TV FOX-17 / KSNB-TV FOX-4 (Kearney, NE)	Link...	Media	NA
KTVN-TV CBS-2 (Reno, NV)	Link...	Media	NA
KUAM-TV NBC-8 / CBS-11 (Hagatna, Guam)	Link...	N/A	NA
KWES-TV NBC-9 (Midland, TX)	Link...	Media	NA
KXLT FOX-47 (Rochester, MN)	Link...	Media	NA
KXVO-TV CW-15 (Omaha, NE)	Link...	Media	NA
KYTX CBS-19 (Tyler, TX)	Link...	Media	NA
Mega News Network: Banking	Link...	N/A	NA
Mega News Network: Health	Link...	N/A	NA
NebraskaTV (Kearney, NE)	Link...	Media	NA
Press-Enterprise	Link...	N/A	NA
Puerto Rico News Time	Link...	N/A	NA
WAND-TV NBC-17 (Decatur, IL)	Link...	Media	NA
WAOW-TV ABC-9 / WYOW-TV CW-34 (Wausau, WI)	Link...	N/A	NA
WBCB-TV CW-21 (Youngstown, OH)	Link...	Media	NA
WCIV-TV ABC-4 (Charleston, SC)	Link...	N/A	NA
WCWG-TV CW-20 (Greensboro, NC)	Link...	Media	NA
WFFF-TV FOX-44 (Colchester, VT)	Link...	Media	NA
WFTX-TV FOX-4 (Cape Coral, FL)	Link...	Media	NA
WFXG-TV FOX-54 (Augusta, GA)	Link...	Media	NA
WGBA NBC-26 (Green Bay, WI)	Link...	Media	NA
WGFL-TV CBS-4 (Gainesville, FL)	Link...	N/A	NA
WGGB-TV FOX-6 / ABC-40 (Springfield, MA)	Link...	N/A	NA
WHBF CBS-4 (Rock Island, IL)	Link...	Media	NA
WKBT-TV CBS-8 (La Crosse, WI)	Link...	Media	NA
WKOW-TV ABC-27 (Madison, WI)	Link...	N/A	NA
WLNS CBS-6 (Lansing, MI)	Link...	Media	NA
WOI ABC-5 (West Des Moines, IA)	Link...	Media	NA
WOIO CBS-19 (Cleveland, OH)	Link...	Media	NA
WQOW-TV ABC-18 (Eau Claire, WI)	Link...	N/A	NA
WSFX-TV FOX-26 (Wilmington, NC)	Link...	Media	NA
WSYM-TV FOX-47 (Lansing, MI)	Link...	N/A	NA
WTNZ FOX-43 (Knoxville, TN)	Link...	Media	NA
WUPV-TV CW-65 (Ashland, VA)	Link...	Media	NA
WVNY-TV ABC-22 (Colchester, VT)	Link...	Media	NA
WVVA NBC-6 (Bluefield, WV)	Link...	Media	NA
WXOW ABC-19 (La Crosse, WI)	Link...	Media	NA
WXTX-TV FOX-54 (Columbus, GA)	Link...	Media	NA
WXVT-TV CBS-15 (Greenville, MS)	Link...	Media	NA
Worldnews	Link...	N/A	NA
tapServ.com	Link...	N/A	NA