Saturday, September 27, 2003

Fighting a disease with lemonade
By: TOM MORROW - Staff Writer

You don't have to be an adult to understand the cost of medical research. Two young Encinitas kids recently braved the heat of a hot summer day selling lemonade to passers-by on their street in order to raise money to help a little neighbor friend.

Encinitas' Mitch Little, 7, and his sister, Jessi Little, 11, weren't selling their lemonade to save enough money to buy a video game or a new CD, they were doing it to help 5-year-old Parker Hume, a neighbor, who is suffering from a rare muscle disease known as juvenile dermatomyositis, or simply JDM. For the past year, JDM has left little Parker weakened, and, at times, immobile. The disease affects the muscles and blood vessels, making it difficult for Parker to do what most 5-year-olds usually do -- be active. When he was diagnosed a year ago, Parker could no longer walk, move his arms or lift his head off the floor. As with many of these diseases, there is no cure yet for JDM, but Parker's friends insist they're going to help find one.

"Parker is a really nice boy," Jessi said. "I don't like to see him struggle, and I want to see him cured.

That's why we run the lemonade stand."

Parker's parents, Shari and Tom Hume, are starting a JDM foundation to raise money to find a cure. Mitch and Jessi, the son and daughter of Laura and Brent Little, came up with their lemonade idea to help the foundation.

"Mitch and Jessi are simply extraordinary kids," Shari said. "They told me they want to do whatever it takes to get Parker better."

Parker is undergoing chemotherapy to keep his disease from worsening. JDM is so rare, most doctors never see a patient with this disease. Only about 5,000 children in the United States currently have JDM.

The little kids have started something -- what if thousands like them across the nation sold lemonade to fight this terrible disease? It gives new meaning to "making lemonade from lemons."

If you'd like to help, even with a lemonade stand, call Shari at (760) 487-1079 or by e-mail at