A Toronto girl's lemonade-stand fundraiser to help find a cure for her brother's neurological disability has inspired a U.S. family dealing with the same illness.
Na'ama Uzan, 5, has raised approximately $25,000 to support a cure for Angelman Syndrome, a rare development and neurological disability.
The girl's older brother, Nadav Uzan, suffers from Angelman Syndrome. The disability makes it difficult for the seven-year-old to walk or speak, and he has frequent seizures.
"He can't talk so he gets frustrated easily," Na'ama told CTV Toronto.
Last spring, Na'ama Uzan opened up a lemonade stand to raise money for the Foundation for Angelman Syndrome Therapeutics. Her stand, which also sells muffins, has raised the impressive sum in a short time.
"It's going to make a cure," Uzan said. "I'm doing it because I want to support a cure for Angelman Syndrome.:
Uzan's efforts has inspired others to also raise money to find a cure for the disability. Thousands of kilometres away in California, David Low and his partner have raised more than $20,000 after their son was diagnosed with Angelman Syndrome six months ago.
"The technology and therapies will be there to help these individuals and the only way that hope is going to be fulfilled is through the efforts like people like Na'ama and her family who inspire others to give," Low told CTV Toronto.
That $20,000 will be used to set up a research grant in Uzan's name.
"We don’t get this every day where a complete stranger is inspired by your child and raises over $20,000 in her honour," said Uzan’s mother, Ru Uzan.
