A local boy battling a rare disease is getting some help from the Papillion and La Vista Fire Departments.
Sunday morning, the Papillion Fire Station opened its doors for a pancake feed to raise funds for Ryan Our Lion, a non-profit named for 5-year-old Ryan Austin. Ryan has a rare, terminal illness called Hunter’s Syndrome, which is currently awaiting clinical trials to find a cure.
“Unfortunately, right now, there is no cure in hand, but with a little bit of hope and financial support today, we can get the cure, gene therapy, into clinical trials as early as 2018,” explained event organizer Emily Kudlacz.
Hundreds of people showed up to enjoy the pancakes by The Pancake Man, tours of the fire engines, and pictures with Santa. There was also a raffle with 100 prizes to win, clowns, and plenty of donations pouring in.
“We’ve had a steady flow right since we opened the doors at 8am, and everybody’s been really kind, really generous, really open and supportive. So, we’re very, very blessed and very grateful to everyone that showed their support today,” said Kudlacz.
If you'd like to donate, you can visit www.ryanourlion.com.
