FAIRHOPE, Ala.— Friday, Oct. 10, Fairhope High School dedicated its Friday night football game to raise awareness for Spina Bifida. Spina Bifida is a defect that occurs during birth when the spinal cord does not form properly within the spine. This defect limits mobility, cognitive and sensory functions. 

The Spina Bifida game was started 12 years ago by football coach Brett Horne and his wife, Heather Horne, for their daughter, Katelynn. Katelynn has dealt with the struggles of Spina Bifida and has undergone 3 spinal detethering surgeries over the past few years. 

Each year, the football team provides dinner for the families with Spina Bifida, doctors and even physicians who work with these families. They spend time playing games and bonding with one another before the game.

Brett Horne, coach and father of Katelynn Horne, said the disabled community has such a strong family of supporters.

“With the disability community, we are all a big family. We come together all the time and do different things, like at Lake Martin and just all the way around the state with different organizations,” Horne said. 

The football game promotes its fundraiser to raise money for the Children’s Hospital of Alabama in Birmingham, where many with Spina Bifida are treated. As of Monday, October 15, the calculated amount of donations exceeded $10,000. 

“It means the world to my family, because that’s our lives. That’s what people don’t realize is that when you do have someone in the family with a disability, it affects the whole family… just to see other people in the community support financially, it means the world to all of us,” Horne said.

The football team goes so far as to make sure these kids with Spina Bifida feel included at the game. They let the kids run out onto the field,  high-five the players, and even select one kid to be the coin toss captain. This year, Lawson Haddock, a local, got to walk out with his big brother, Senior Cameron Bauer, to start the game. 

“We’ll even just do a simple handshake before the game, and you get to see those kids’ joy, it really helps them out,” Horne said. 

The community showed support throughout the day by wearing yellow to the game and around the school on Friday. Seeing the color yellow is a reminder to stay positive and hopeful. 

Horne said he wants to evoke the message of love and joy to the community.

“Some of the happiest kids in the world probably go through the worst times. These kids who are disabled and their families go through tons of downs, but the ups are great… There is pure joy in everything we do. This game is really to show the community how much love and joy can come out of this.”

Horne’s daughter Katelynn wants the community to understand that Spina Bifida has much more of an effect than what people tend to see.

“Spina Bifida is more than a leg brace or a wheelchair; it affects your whole body, and there are so many things people with spina bifida go through that go unnoticed,” Katelynn Horne said. 

Two years ago, before Katelynn started her freshman year, she was isolated from school due to the severe procedures she had undergone. That summer, she was in the hospital for over 60 days, going between the general hospital unit and the ICU. 

“My community has been so supportive throughout my Spina Bifida journey. When I was in the hospital, people sent meals to my family and, most importantly, prayers, Katelynn Horne said. “There have been so many people who have prayed for me, and prayer really does change things. Without all of those prayers, I might not be here today.”

This event shines a light on how strong people like Katelynn are during these obstacles that Spina Bifida puts in their lives and how strong community influence can be. 

“Spina Bifida is more than a leg brace or a wheelchair; it affects your whole body, and there are so many things people with spina bifida go through that go unnoticed,” Katelynn said. 

Two years ago, before Katelynn started her freshman year, she was isolated from school due to the severe procedures she had undergone. That summer, she was in the hospital for over 60 days, going between the general care unit and the ICU. 

“My community has been so supportive throughout my Spina Bifida Journey. When I was in the hospital, people sent meals to my family and, most importantly, prayers. There have been so many people who have prayed for me, and prayer really does change things. Without all of those prayers, I might not be here today.”

This event shines a light on how strong people like Katelynn are during these obstacles and how strong community influence can be.