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Back Cover Story: A Ray of Hope

Continued from back page.
get the same treatment legalized in improvements in the seizures at the “We came up with the title because
In the fall of 2013, the Moseleys trav- Florida. They joined two lobbyists, a beginning, the family immediately saw after the bill was passed in Tallahassee,
eled from their home in Gulf Breeze, FL media consultant, and Rep. Gaetz. other positive improvements: she wasn’t RayAnn painted thank you handprint art
to Colorado to speak with other parents “We took the time to speak with every drooling as much, her speech was clear- for some of the key senators, representa-
of epileptic children whose seizures were senator and representative who would lis- er, and her gait was steady. tives, and the governor for all the work
reduced or eliminated after treatment ten to our story,” says Holley. “It took a couple more months, but we they put in,” says RayAnn. “We made the
with CBD-rich oil now commonly Eventually, the family, along with other saw an improvement in seizure activity,” handprints look like the sun and wrote,
known as “Charlotte’s Web,” named after groups, persuaded the Legislature to pass says Holley. “We went super slow with it, ‘A Ray of Hope,’at the top. It felt like the
the girl it originally helped in 2012. the “Compassionate Medical Cannabis Act increasing her dosage every four weeks.” perfect title to wrap it all up.”
“Everyone’s story was like ours,” of 2014.” Strains of marijuana with low Today, RayAnn, 15, is two years seizure The first half of the book tells RayAnn’s
Holley recalls. “Their children were slip- amounts of THC and high amounts of free. She continues to use Charlotte’s story and the second half is a how-to for
ping away before their eyes. They were cannabidiol, or CBD, was legalized to treat Web twice a day and she’s nearly pharma- other parents: how to approach using
out of treatment options and were desper- certain medical conditions. ceutical free, according to Holley. medical cannabis for their child; stress-
ate to find something to help. Every family “Somehow in a super conservative “We’re slowly weaning her off one of ing the importance of working with a
that we spoke with reported success with Republican legislature, the bill passed,” her last medications,” she says. physician especially if you have a med-
CBD oil and we felt we needed to make says Holley. “We were over the moon ”Cannabis has completely changed her ically complex child; building a good
this happen for RayAnn.” excited but didn’t quite realize how long it quality of life. She’s doing things at team for your child; and finally, being a
They initially considered moving to would take before treatment would then school we never thought would be possi- strong advocate for your child.
Colorado, but around the same time, be available.” ble for her. She’s not having seizures and “The biggest way to keep medical
Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz had watched During that waiting period, RayAnn falling all the time. She’s able to live a cannabis in the spotlight is to focus on
the same CNN documentary and reached was getting older and her seizures happy and comfortable life. It’s been an the patients,” says Holley. “There are real
out to the Stanley Brothers to see how he became even more intense. incredible journey and we are thankful people who need more help than what
could help. They connected Rep. Gaetz to “We had to give CBD oil a try,” says that this is a treatment for many people modern medicine has to offer. We have
the Moseleys who invited the family to Holley. “Under the guidance of a pedi- like RayAnn who had no more options to let the stigma of cannabis go and focus
come to a workshop about the proposed atric neurologist, RayAnn began a small left.” on the science and the potential positive
legislation in Tallahassee. dose of CBD-rich oil.” Because of this experience, Holley impact it can have on so many lives.”
“There was an overwhelming feeling we The Moseleys started her treatment wrote a book to share RayAnn’s story, “A
needed to stay and fight,” recalls Holley. with CBD soon after watching the CNN Ray of Hope,” which can be purchased For more information, visit
That experience prompted the family to documentary. While there were not huge on Amazon. www.arayofhopebook.com.

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40 November 2018 southfloridahospitalnews.com South Florida Hospital News