Idaho Boy Raises More than $1,200 with Lemonade Stand for Sister with Epilepsy

An Idaho boy set up a lemonade stand on Saturday to raise money for his little sister, Josie, who was diagnosed with a rare form of epilepsy.

Friends, family, co-workers, and even former nurses who cared for Josie stopped by Noah Park’s lemonade stand to show their support. And the result was greater than expected.

Noah’s lemonade stand raised more than $1,200.

“This is huge,” Jenny Park, Noah’s mom, told KPVI. “Originally, we thought it would just be a little lemonade stand…It’s been really wonderful to see people come out and support Josie as well as other people with epilepsy.”

Josie’s condition is called malignant migrating partial seizures of infancy or MMPSI. According to Genetics Home Reference under the U.S. National Library of Medicine, those who have the disorder experience recurring seizures within certain areas of the brain within a few weeks of birth.

The seizures result in developmental delays for the person suffering from the condition.

The cause of MMPSI is unclear, and researchers are trying to find a treatment.

Jordan Park, Noah’s father, said Noah came up with the idea for the lemonade stand completely on his own, and the money he raised will go toward clinical research of the disorder.

Despite his sister’s disorder, Noah sees Josie as his baby sister, to cuddle, play, and watch shows with.

“I really love her,” Noah says. “She goes through a lot of hard times but she’s still happy.”