Boy's "Chocolate Bar" book raises $950,000 to fight his friend's rare liver disease
Channel: UF Health
Date: 2014-12-04

Two 7-year-old California boys recently were honored by the University of Florida for their efforts to find a cure for a rare disease. Best friends Dylan Siegel and Jonah Pournazarian were awarded UF's first ever Young Philanthropist Award for their vision, generosity and leadership during the university's inaugural Academy of Golden Gators celebration on Feb. 21.

The boys' philanthropic work centers around a 14-page book Dylan wrote in 2012 to raise money to fight the rare genetic disorder that Jonah suffers from called glycogen storage disease. His goal is to raise $1 million through sales of "Chocolate Bar," which reached the $750,000 milestone on Rare Disease Day, a day organized to raise awareness for rare diseases such as GSD and their impact on patients' lives.

"Dylan and Jonah are exceptional kids," said UF President Bernie Machen. "Their love for each other is contagious, so people naturally want to be a part of their campaign. My hat is off to both boys for making a difference at such a young age."

https://ufhealth.org/glycogen-storage-disease-program/overview
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