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Source: http://lsp.org/news_detail.html?id=8392

id cleanReleaseDate troopName title
8392 2009-10-08 Troop L Troop L Grants-A-Wish for One of Our Local Children

LOUISIANA STATE POLICE
COURTESY LOYALTY SERVICE

Colonel Michael D. Edmonson, Superintendent

October 8, 2009
Troop L Grants-A-Wish for One of Our Local Children

With the generous donations given by our businesses and citizens, Troop L is once again able to make a child’s wish come true. Mary Payton Vigil, a resident of Mandeville, Louisiana. Mary Payton is a beautiful 5-year-old girl who was diagnosed at the end of January 2008 with Late Infantile Neuronal Ceroid Lipofuscinosis (LINCL), sometimes referred to as Batten Disease. Over time, children affected by LINCL suffer mental impairment, worsening seizures and progressive loss of sight and motor skills. Eventually children become blind, bedridden and are unable to communicate. Unfortunately, at present, it is always fatal. It usually ends in death between the ages of 8 and 12. This disorder is rare, affecting only about 200 children in the country. It is a recessive genetic disorder, meaning other siblings would have a 25% chance of also having the disorder.

Mary Payton currently attends a preschool early intervention program in the public school system where she receives speech therapy, occupational therapy, physical therapy, and adapted PE classes. These therapies will keep her mentally and physically stimulated and help her retain her skills. Although she is doing fairly well now, no one knows when she may start to decline. It is important to get treatment as soon as possible before she starts losing crucial skills and before her vision starts to noticeably decline.

When Mary Payton’s parents were asked what she would wish for they said, “she would love to have an interactive computer system, like she uses at school. Troop L’s Grant-A-Wish program set out to find and purchase a complete computer system that Mary Payton could use everyday, to help stimulate her abilities. Troop L Grant-A-Wish, would like to extend a special thank you to Knowledge Adventure and Mr. Mike Bowman, Support Manager. Knowledge Adventure donated all the software that Mary Payton utilizes in her classroom. With this software, she is able to continue her education at home also.

The Troop L Grant-A-Wish program is open to children that have been diagnosed with a terminal or life threatening illness that live in the Troop L area. The Troop L area consists of St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, Washington, and the St. Helena parishes. If you know of a child possibly eligible for this program, please contact Troop L at 985-893-6250 for more information.




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