DOTHAN, Ala. – Three young Dothan sisters are hoping their craft will lead to a cure for a rare genetic disease.
Hadley, Blakely, and Kenzie are sisters and co-owners of Essential Bracelet Company.
Their bracelets are colorful, customized and proceeds support kids with a rare genetic lung disease called primary ciliary dyskinesia.
The girls have a goal of raising $500 this summer for the PCD Foundation.
“We’re hoping that $500 could go to help doctors research PCD and change the lives of kids who have and PCD make it easier for them,” says oldest sister Kenzie Lawson.
Their family knows how tough the disease can be for kids because 12-year-old Hayden has been battling it since she was 6.
“Cilia is in your breathing system. It goes through your nose throat and lungs and it cleans out your lungs for you but however mine does not work,” says Blakely.
So Blakely has to use an airway clearance system twice a day for at least 30 minutes.
The machine shakes her up so she can cough out the mucus and bacteria that settled in her lungs.
“It’s really an amazing invention and families that have children with PCD are extremely thankful for it because it is very helpful in keeping her healthy,” says the girls’ mother Allison Lawson.
The cost for the machine is roughly $17,000 and medication can also run several thousand dollars a month.
The PCD Foundation blessed Blakely with a machine free of cost.
Now they are returning the support with hopes that the money they raise will relieve other families of medical costs and ultimately help find a cure.
“It’s important to us because Blakely is important to us and we all love her and we just want to help other kids like her,” says Kenzie.
The girls have made about 150 bracelets.
Some in honor of cancer survivors, school pride, Tik Tok dances and even weddings.
“We’re actually really happy that we’re getting a lot of orders so we can help the children of PCD,” says Blakely.
You don’t even have to buy a bracelet to support the cause.
The Facebook page run by the oldest sister lists a link to make a donation directly to the PCD Foundation.
If you’d like a bracelet, you can place an order on their Facebook Page – Essential Bracelet Company.
