Jacob Redmond
Well-Known Member
Cassie Alegria looked on as her 4-year-old daughter Ava Rose zigged and zagged around kids and adults at a picnic area Sunday afternoon.
Ava, wearing a padded helmet and a onesie pajama, repeatedly tried to stick her face in a small kiddie pool, distressing Alegria.
Ana has Dravet syndrome, a severe form of epilepsy that begins in infancy. After years of using prescription drugs, the two moved to Colorado from Arizona in February to begin treatment with cannabis oil.
"We're just so isolated. Just the disease itself is isolating," Alegria said. "Being around families that get it is everything."
Parents from across the country have moved to the state in the pursuit of the medical care that they believe reduces seizures and other ailments for their children. In doing so, they've left behind family members and friends in seeking the medical alternative, forcing them to make connections in a new place.
On Sunday, about a dozen of those families gathered at Pathfinder Regional Park in Florence for an Easter celebration and barbecue, giving them an opportunity to share experiences and relate to people who came to Colorado for similar reasons. Many came from Colorado Springs for the event, where kids took part in an Easter egg hunt, won prizes and played under the sunny skies.
Amy Hilterbran, one of the event's organizers, is one of the "marijuana refugees."
In December, she moved to Colorado from Oklahoma looking for a medical alternative for her 13-year-old son Austin, who also has Dravet syndrome.
But it wasn't until last week that Hilterbran, her children and her husband finally settled in to their Cañon City home after months of traveling back between Oklahoma and Colorado.
With the help of cannabis oil, Hilterbran said, Austin's seizures have become less frequent and he is being weaned off some of the dozens of medications he has taken over the years.
"Colorado is absolutely the best decision we ever made in our life," she said. "It saved our son's life."
While attendees spoke of the benefits cannabis oils are bringing to their children, not all of their problems have been solved. Children such as Austin and Ava have not been weaned off their medications. And three kids had seizures during Sunday's event, including a 4-year-old girl named Hannah.
Cassie Alegria looked on with complete understanding as other parents shared tips and offered help to Hannah's mother during the girl's seizure.
"This is a lot of what it looks like," Alegria said.
News Moderator: Jacob Redmond 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: 'Marijuana refugees' come together for Easter
Author: Stephen Hobbs
Contact: Submit a News Tip to the Colorado Springs Gazette
Photo Credit: None Found
Website: Colorado Springs Gazette, News | Local News, Latest News, Breaking News | Headlines, Sports, Weather & School Closings
Ava, wearing a padded helmet and a onesie pajama, repeatedly tried to stick her face in a small kiddie pool, distressing Alegria.
Ana has Dravet syndrome, a severe form of epilepsy that begins in infancy. After years of using prescription drugs, the two moved to Colorado from Arizona in February to begin treatment with cannabis oil.
"We're just so isolated. Just the disease itself is isolating," Alegria said. "Being around families that get it is everything."
Parents from across the country have moved to the state in the pursuit of the medical care that they believe reduces seizures and other ailments for their children. In doing so, they've left behind family members and friends in seeking the medical alternative, forcing them to make connections in a new place.
On Sunday, about a dozen of those families gathered at Pathfinder Regional Park in Florence for an Easter celebration and barbecue, giving them an opportunity to share experiences and relate to people who came to Colorado for similar reasons. Many came from Colorado Springs for the event, where kids took part in an Easter egg hunt, won prizes and played under the sunny skies.
Amy Hilterbran, one of the event's organizers, is one of the "marijuana refugees."
In December, she moved to Colorado from Oklahoma looking for a medical alternative for her 13-year-old son Austin, who also has Dravet syndrome.
But it wasn't until last week that Hilterbran, her children and her husband finally settled in to their Cañon City home after months of traveling back between Oklahoma and Colorado.
With the help of cannabis oil, Hilterbran said, Austin's seizures have become less frequent and he is being weaned off some of the dozens of medications he has taken over the years.
"Colorado is absolutely the best decision we ever made in our life," she said. "It saved our son's life."
While attendees spoke of the benefits cannabis oils are bringing to their children, not all of their problems have been solved. Children such as Austin and Ava have not been weaned off their medications. And three kids had seizures during Sunday's event, including a 4-year-old girl named Hannah.
Cassie Alegria looked on with complete understanding as other parents shared tips and offered help to Hannah's mother during the girl's seizure.
"This is a lot of what it looks like," Alegria said.
News Moderator: Jacob Redmond 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: 'Marijuana refugees' come together for Easter
Author: Stephen Hobbs
Contact: Submit a News Tip to the Colorado Springs Gazette
Photo Credit: None Found
Website: Colorado Springs Gazette, News | Local News, Latest News, Breaking News | Headlines, Sports, Weather & School Closings
