Asking for your help and your votes

Tonight, I'm asking for your help.

Last year, a friend of mine gave birth to a beautiful baby boy. (In fact, his birthday is the day before Turtle's). Her little miracle, Dean, was diagnosed with Prader-Willi Syndrome, the most common known genetic cause of life-threatening obesity in children. Prader-Willi Syndrome is a rare genetic disorder that effects one in every 12,000 births.

From the Prader-Willi Association website:

PWS typically causes low muscle tone, short stature if not treated with growth hormone, incomplete sexual development, and a chronic feeling of hunger that, coupled with a metabolism that utilizes drastically fewer calories than normal, can lead to excessive eating and life-threatening obesity. The food compulsion makes constant supervision necessary. Average IQ is 70, but even those with normal IQs almost all have learning issues. Social and motor deficits also exist.

You can read more about Dean and his amazing family here.

Now comes the part where you can help.

Harrison Ford and Brendan Fraser are starring in a new movie, Extraordinary Measures.



In honor of this film, a contest is being held for charities to win a chance at $10,000 to assist in research. Rachel Pastiloff, a PWS mom, organized the creation of and submitted a video about Prader-Willi Syndrome on behalf of the Foundation for Prader-Willi Research.

Click here and type "Prader" in the search box at the bottom right to find the video titled "Foundation for Prader-Willi" by Rachel. Select that video and place your vote. Each vote will earn another entry into the Inspirational Quilt contest. Voting ends on January 29th, so please get your votes in.

On behalf of these beautiful children, thank you.