Pay Attention to Your Dreams....

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Hero's never really look the way we imagine them....sometimes they are the least likely person we encounter.  What's more startling, is how many children do the most amazing things.  This story is about a little girl, who didn't let her medical diagnosis, or her tender young age,  stop her from making a dream come true.

This is a story about Jamie Bacigalupo, who was  diagnosed with benign rolandic epilepsy or BRE, at the tender young age of 5.   This lively vibrant little girl, out of the blue, exhibited the symptoms with no warning.  It took countless days and weeks in the hospital to confirm the diagnosis, and prescribe the proper treatment.  Through it all she exhibited an amazing optimism and resiliency.  During one of her stays in the hospital, an anonymous group stopped in one day with a "healing dog", and some small presents.  It made her stay seem bearable, and because of what they blessed her with, she came up with the idea that she'd like to make sure other children were treated the same.

If you've even been hospitalized, you know first-hand that it's a scary place, and no matter how nice the nurses and doctors may be --  a place you want to leave ASAP.  And, if you put yourself in the shoes of a child, you can only imagine what it must be like for them.  Jamie,  no doubt had her "moments", but out of all she endured, came the birth of an amazing idea, turned non-profit organization, to benefit other children.

 









With the help of her mother, the organization Angels4Epilepsy, a 501(c)(3) Charity, was born April 2010.  Her goal was to put "goodie" bags together, and deliver them to children confined to hospitals in her area that were there because of a seizure related diagnosis.  She and her sister started saving their toys from the happy meals from McDonalds, and her mom saved money to buy snacks for the bags.  Since it's inception the charity has grown and been awarded two grants from Pepsi Funds totaling $30,000.  Jamie, along with her family, and volunteers in Indiana, Texas, Florida, and Ohio, have been delivering bags with custom teddy bears from either Build-A-Bears, or TG Bears. Aside from the awesome cuddly bears, they fill the bags with other goodies and essentials for the children in the hospitals.

Her story is amazing, because the dream of a little girl is alive and growing.......inspiration for us all.  Even better news, Jamie has been seizure free long enough that the doctors are considering weaning her off the medication she's been taking!

If you'd like to help out, please contact Judy Bacigalupo (Jamie's mom) to find out what you can do.  You, too, can make a difference in the life of a child and even be a hero to someone!

Pay attention to your dreams - God's angels often speak directly to our hearts when we are asleep.  

~ Eileen Elias Freeman