Here’s a heart-warming way to start your week.
Dylan Siegel is 6-years-old. His best friend, Jonah Pournazarian, has an incurable, rare liver disease called Glyogen Storage Disease Type 1B.
Jonah’s liver can store sugar but can’t release it, which means he can have dangerously low blood sugar levels that could lead to seizures or death. His immune system is also compromised, meaning something like the flu or a stomach bug could kill him.
When Dylan found out about Jonah’s illness, he decided he wanted to do something to help. His dad offered to have a bake sale or open a lemonade stand. “He’s like ‘Don’t patronize me. I want to do something big,” Dylan’s dad told ABC News.
“Something big” turned into a 16-page book Dylan wrote called “Chocolate Bar.”
The term “chocolate bar” is another way Dylan uses the word “awesome.” The book opens:
“I like to go to Disney Land. That is so Chocolate Bar.” He goes on to talk about aquariums and swimming another fun things, closing with “I like to help my friends. That is the biggest chocolate bar.”
His parents printed 200 copies of the book and raised $6,000 on the first day. After that, Dylan set a goal to raise $1 million to put toward a cure for his friend’s disease.
Media across the country started picking up on Dylan and Jonah’s story and sales of the book have been going nuts. Their story aired on ABC News last week, and Dylan has currently raised more than $600,000 thanks to his book.
Dr. David Weinstein studies and treats patients with the disease at the University of Florida, and he’s been shocked by how much money Dylan has raised. Weinstein told ABC News, ”He’s raised more money for this disease than all the medical foundations and all the grants combined. Ever.”
How chocolate bar is that?
My wife works in the medical field and we fully support the power of medicine to heal. I’ve ordered a book, and I would encourage you to as well. Let’s help cure Jonah and eradicate this disease.
You can buy the book and find out more information about the disease at Dylan’s website, Chocolate Bar Book. Also, check them out on Facebook.
