This First Grader Raised Over $30,000 For His BFF

What’s the nicest thing you’ve ever done for your bestie? Bring her soup when she’s sick? Get her tickets to a TSwift concert? Decorate her locker for her birthday back in 5th grade? This 6-year-old wrote a book to raise money and awareness about his bestie’s rare liver condition. And so far, he’s raised over $30,000. I’m not sure which part impresses me the most.

When you’re six, everything is ‘so awesome’. To Dylan Siegel, everything is ‘so chocolate bar’. That’s the inspiration behind the book Chocolate Bar he wrote for BFF Jonah Pournazarian. Jonah has a rare liver condition called Glycogen Storage Disease type 1b. Only about one in a million people are affected, and it has no cure. So, what’s a best friend to do? Fund the research, of course. It’s a delightful reminder of what compassion can make you capable of, regardless of age.

“I like to help my friends. That is the biggest chocolate bar.” –Dylan Siegel

Dylan wrote Chocolate Bar for Jonah and has been selling chocolate bars, donated by Whole Foods. He’s raised $30,000 and counting. Jonah’s parents set up a fund six years ago that’s now raised $400,000. Impressive, right? Yes! But Dylan has his sights set on a new goal: raising $1 million.

Because, that’s just what best friends do. Dylan doesn’t care that Jonah eats through a feeding tube. He cares that his best friend can’t always come out to play, or has to stay home from school when other kids get sick so he doesn’t catch a cold. He cares about his best friend, just like you and I do! Whether you’re six or sixteen or sixty, when the Pooh to your Piglet is hurting, you do what it takes to make it all better. Sometimes, that means you publish a book and go on a talk show together. When you have someone who would do anything for you, it’s pretty awesome. And it’s equally as awesome to have someone you’d be willing to do anything for, too. No, wait – it’s equally as chocolate bar.

Stop trying to make ‘fetch’ happen. Make ‘chocolate bar’ happen instead! Donate here to help the boys reach their goal of $1 million. Sales from Chocolate Bar will go to the University of Florida School of Medicine in Gainsville and Dr. David Weinstein, who is leading the research team. Finding a cure doesn’t just mean a cure for Jonah – it will help other liver illnesses, too. Sounds pretty sweet to me!

Images via ChocolateBarBook.com