Have you ever heard of the children’s book, Harold and the Purple Crayon?
It’s about a little boy who draws the things he wants to see with his purple crayon, and instantly the object appears. It’s been around since its first publication in 1955.
A little girl named Natalie also had a purple crayon. When her parents asked her what she wanted most in the world, she wrote on a napkin that she wanted her cystinosis to be cured. As a result of this wistful request, Natalie’s parents founded the Cystinosis Research Foundation (CRF).
The CRF has donated millions of dollars in the search for a cure and better treatments.
This is bigger than you think. Only 500 people in the US have cystinosis. In the past, children faced having a kidney transplant or a lifetime on dialysis because of the steady deterioration of the body’s organs, particularly the kidneys.
With funds from CRF, treatments have improved, and today Natalie is a young woman beginning her career. Because of her wish, there’s hope for a cure—and it may just be within sight. Stem cell therapy is showing more and more promise, and it is one of the avenues of research CRF is actively funding.
I have a feeling that when I finally write my masterpiece, it will start with a purple crayon.
