10/15

Let’s Cure Batten Together

When it comes to what’s the most important in life, it’s family. Our children are the center of our lives, our happiness, our future. When you become a parent, it becomes your worst nightmare that anything would happen to your child.

As you may know, Charlotte and Gwyneth Gray are together battling a rare neurodegenerative brain disease called Batten Disease. This disease is genetically inherited and disrupts cells ability to dispose of wastes, which results in accumulation of proteins and lipids within nerve cells of the brain and other tissues of the brain. Unfortunately, this results in neurological impairment including seizures, blindness, developmental regression, and dementia.

Little is known about this rare disease. This makes it especially difficult to predict. As of now, Batten Disease is untreatable. Those who are affected will eventually become bedridden and face premature death.

Fortunately, there could be a light at the end of this. The Gray Foundation, who is helping to raise money and find a cure, is working tirelessly to help these little girls and people just like them with rare disorders. Gene therapy, cellular therapy, and small molecular therapy are all being tested and studied with the help of charitable donations.

This week, I attended a beautiful event in honor of The Gray Foundation, Gwyneth, and Charlotte. The amount of love and support for these girls was astounding. They have raised over 2 million but they still have more to go. Not only will finding a cure help Batten disease but also rare diseases like it.

Even if it’s just a dollar, donate. Tell your friend. Tell your parents. Tell everyone. Even just a dollar will make a difference. Click on this link to donate and spread the word!

For more information, here’s more of their story:

Gray Foundation from Mottern Art Productions on Vimeo.