I am writing this tonight after getting news from one of my parents.  I teach 1st grade and become very attached to my students,  they become like my own children.  I become  their "mother" while they are in my class, and worry about some even after they go home.  One of my little boys has two brothers that I hear about often.  Today I heard a lot a bit more about one of his brothers.  His name is Jasper.  He will be 2 years old on Wednesday May 13th.  My heart has now grown to love one more child, but broken as I heard his story.  He has Lysosomal Storage Disease.  The lysosome is commonly referred to as the cell’s recycling center because it processes unwanted material into substances that the cell can utilize.  Jasper has an enlarged liver and heart due to the storage of these unwanted materials in his cells.  He also has lesions on his brain.  There is no cure for this disease.  His speech is being affected and his sleep patterns are being interrupted because of pain.  Insurance is not willing to pay for the genetic testing that needs to be done so that treatments can be completed that would most benefit Jasper.  Medical bills will be piling up more and more for this family.  I would like to do all that I can to help this young family.  We live in a small rural area where we are willing to help one another.  However, this little boy deserves all the help the world can give him!  I want to give his family every opportunity to spend every moment with him that they can.  He deserves it and so do they!  Thank you.