Celebrating Outstanding Cannabis Parents on Parents’ Day

[dropcap class=”kp-dropcap”]P[/dropcap]arents’ Day, which occurs on Sunday, July 22, celebrates and recognizes the important roles of responsibility in everyday families. From birth, children rely and are learning from their parents who are constantly working to promote their overall well-being. Becoming a parent is a welcomed and overwhelming event, but in some cases, parents encounter problems and uncertainties regarding their children’s physical and emotional well-being. But many parents have learned about how cannabis can help treat numerous medical conditions that their children face. These are just a few of the brave parents who have gone above and beyond to help improve their kids’ quality of life.

Meagan Holt—Washington, U.S.

Meagan Holt, mother of Madeline Holt, or Maddie for short, has come a long way since her daughter was first diagnosed with a rare genetic disease called Zellweger Syndrome. Maddie is deaf, blind and completely dependent on a feeding tube. She suffers from osteoporosis, kidney stones, liver dysfunction, coagulopathy, anemia, adrenal insufficiency, low muscle tone, and in 2015 she developed seizures. After losing the little skills she could muster due to the prescription of 26 pharmaceuticals, Maddie was admitted into a hospice with the expectation that her life would soon come to an end. Meagan couldn’t accept losing her child. After doing some research, Holt found cannabis oil. Not only have her seizures stopped, but Maddie has relearned skills such as sign language and kicking her legs. Meagan’s road to cannabis has lead her to help spread the word in anyway she can. She’s spoken to the press about her experiences, and spoken at public hearings regarding bills, and also helped craft a few such as Senate Bill 5290 and House Bill 1060. “The most important thing is, no matter what they tell you, don’t ever give up. Until they’re taking their last breath, it’s not over until it’s over,” Meagan told CULTURE. “When I started treating Maddie with cannabis, I never expected it to save her life. And I don’t think any parent should start treating their child with cannabis with the intention of it saving their child’s life. The only intention you should have is for them to have a better quality of life than they have right now.”

Jason David—California, U.S.

Jason David,  father to a six-year-old named Jayden David who suffers from Dravet’s syndrome. The condition causes Jayden to experience frequent seizures, with the need to be rushed to the hospital. “He’s in pain and suffering and crying,” said Jason. “You can’t help him no matter what. What are you supposed to do? You have to do whatever it takes to save their life.” After feeling emotional and helpless after seeing his son Jayden suffering from daily seizures, Jason turned to CBD products. On June 2011, Jason gave his son cannabis for the first. At the time, Jayden was only four-months-old. Jayden’s doctors originally prescribed 22 anti-seizure pills a day, which helped control the seizures but left him immobile due to the side effects. Now thanks to cannabis, Jayden takes none of those prescription medicines and is not only walking, but also running around, jumping, climbing trees and swimming. “Instead of medical marijuana, this is miracle marijuana,” said Jason. Jayden’s success in using cannabis led his dad to create his own website and line of cannabis products, specifically using strains that help children with their medical conditions.

Hannah Deacon—United Kingdom

Hannah Deacon, the mother of six-year-old Alfie Dingley, struggles with her son’s rare form of epilepsy called PCDH19, which causes him to experience up to 30 seizures every day. Hannah, like many parents before her, is fighting to allow her son to receive legal medical cannabis. Recently, she hosted a petition to raise awareness and fight for change. Although the petition didn’t reach its goal, Hannah was actually able to receive a medical cannabis prescription anyway. She was able to legally bring CBD to the United Kingdom (U.K.) after Home Security Sajid Javid granted her a license to treat her son. “We now have a permanent long term license for our doctor to prescribe Bedrocan medical cannabis oils for Alfie. Our son is now safe and will be as well as possible because he has his medicine,” she wrote. She advocates for an organization called End Our Pain as well, which is continuing to fight for medical cannabis access in the U.K.

Mieko Hester-Perez—California, United States

Joey Hester-Perez was diagnosed with a severe form of autism at only 16 months old. His mother, Mieko Hester-Perez, has always been active in supporting her child. She’s the co-founder of The Unconventional Foundation for Autism and has often been referred to as a “warrior mom.” Joey was prescribed 13 pharmaceutical drugs at one point in his life. At only 10 years old, Joey weighed as little as 46 pounds in 2009, diagnosed with anorexia and malnutrition. His behavior was dangerous to those around him and himself, his mother explained. After doing her research and speaking to experts, Hester-Perez planned to give her son Joey medicinal cannabis. Baking batches for gluten-free cannabis-infused edibles, she started noticing improvements. Mieko has been awarded and recognized for helping families, autism organizations, universities as well as healthcare professionals. Joey and Maiko are in this journey together, and she feels blessed to have Joey as her son, what drives her every day. Joey, is happier, healthier and more engaged in everyday life.

Jaimie Bower-Anstis—New Zealand

Two-year-old Jai Bowers-Anstis (a New Zealand native) has had suffered from epilepsy since he was nine months old. Since being diagnosed, it has left Jai with extensive brain injuries, retractable epilepsy and infantile spasms. His mother, Jaimie Bower-Anstis, noted that he was experiencing up to 10 spasms a day, which would last up to 10 minutes. When Jai’s spasms would last more than 10 minutes, the doctor prescribed an emergency medication called Midazolam to stop the seizures. “A good day for us is probably three seizures a day,” she said. But after consuming CBD, Jai’s behavior has drastically changed for the better. With the cost of Tilray CBD, Bowers-Anstis the family were forced to downsize their home in order to support Jai’s condition, paying an average of $1,300 a month, as the dose is based on weight.

These are just a few of the many parents who have gone through similar obstacles to lead their children to happier, healthier lives. This Parents’ Day, CULTURE wants to extend a thank you to all parents for their hard work and sacrifices, both in and outside the cannabis industry.