Press Release re Jump Jive Jiggle for Jasper
Drummond parent and WGN News Reporter Jane Boal (mom of Owen Walther in Ms. Kerber’s class) put out the following press release today regarding Jump Jive Jiggle for Jasper. What Jane wrote gave me so much more insight into what the Lipe family has been going through. Please read it, forward to everyone you know, and consider attending this worthwhile event this Saturday.
Thank you, Monica Lasky
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For Immediate Release Contact: Steve Lipe (312) 925-2960
February 18, 2008 Kathleen Kerber (773) 802-2231
Jump, Jiggle & Jive for Jasper
Local school teacher invites everyone to Dance-A-Thon. Neighborhood joins in to help two year old boy who has Metachromatic Leukodystrophy or MLD
(Chicago, IL- February 23) Kathleen Kerber teaches 3 to 5 year olds at the Drummond Montessori Public School in Bucktown. One of her students has a very sick little brother. His name is Jasper Lipe. Although Jasper is not yet three years old, he’s already spent one third of his life in the hospital. During the past nine months he’s had surgery, chemotherapy and a stem cell bone marrow transplant made possible by the cord blood of his baby sister. He’s had numerous tests and treatments all in an effort to stop the debilitating MLD disease that (as of now) has no cure. Currently, Jasper has lost most of his abilities and is often in a great deal of pain. Although he can hear, he can not eat; sit up, walk, talk or crawl. He is fed through IV’s overnight. While he heals from the transplant, his parents continue to search desperately for ways to relieve his discomfort and pain.
THE GOOD NEWS: The transplant has actually slowed the progression of the disease and perhaps stopped it. Most recently Jasper has started “tracking” and his eyes are sometimes “following”. He is also responding positively to physical, massage and music therapy.
Prevention and Awareness
Jasper’s parents, Susan and Steve Lipe do not want this to happen to other children. If any ONE of the numerous doctors they had taken Japser to during the nine months of weekly visits would have been aware of the disease and tested him… Today Jasper could be a functioning two and half year old boy.
DANCING FOR HOPE
Kids, teachers, and community members will dance to raise money for research and awareness. They want to let people know there is a simple blood test that can be performed to give an early diagnosis (and therefore treatment before rapid deterioration begins) with this most often deadly disease.
Where and When
11-2 PM Saturday, February 23rd 2008
Drummond Montessori School
1845 W. Cortland Street Chicago, Illinois 60622
PICTURES, HOME VIDEO AND INTERVIEWS available upon request.
“Jasper’s situation has touched me, personally, and our school.” Ms. Kerber says, “The fact that he is fighting so hard has given everyone in our school hope. His struggle has become a rallying point for all of us and today’s program, while fun for the kids, is also designed for parents learn more about MLD and how a child can potentially avoid it with proper screening.”
100% of proceeds benefit research and the non-profit MLD Foundation http://www.mldfoundation.org/index.html
