Java For Jonah

ROSSVILLE, Kan. (WIBW) - A coffee shop in Rossville is brewing for a good cause, helping one little boy fight a rare auto-immune disease.

Java for Jonah is being sold to help an 8 year old boy named Jonah Slack whose family deserves the energy boost more than most.

"Jonah’s IgE should be 90 or less and he's currently at 17,000,” said Jonah’s father Derek Slack.

8 year old Jonah and his parents have been put through the ringer with medical issues since he was born.

"Honestly Jonah doesn't sleep hardly at all, so we know if we complain about sleep how much more tired is he,” Derek said.

Jonah has Hyper IgE Syndrome which makes him allergic to everything. There could be other issues too, including a high risk for cancer.

Mom Shawna Slack said Jonah’s constantly experiencing itching that won't stop and a lot of pain throughout his body, which keeps him from sleeping.

Jonah said right now his hands look fine, but from his feet to his ankles, it’s not so good, and the medical treatments can be pretty rough.

"Well each day I take a bath that has bleach in it that just kills the bacteria on my skin,” Jonah said.

Treatments are also expensive. Jonah uses different ointments, steroids, and light treatments to combat his skin condition. He also sleeps in wet pajama's to help his skin absorb the moisture.

Derek said with the lack of sleep, the family runs on a lot of steam, and that’s why coming to the local coffee shop is their fuel pretty much every single day.

Family friend Sarene McCrory owns Grounded Coffee House in Rossville and found the answer the Slacks have been looking for.

"I just kind of had a God moment where it hit me that okay you need to act on this, and so I told my husband okay this is what’s going on, and this is what I'm thinking, this Java for Jonah just keeps coming up, and running through my mind and we have to act on this,” McCrory said.

The Java for Jonah coffee bags can hardly stay stocked, with much of the Rossville community wanting to help out. Dad Derek said it’s been an overwhelming happy surprise.

"To sit in here everyday and get to watch people pick it up and buy it, it's humbling, each sip that I take it humbles me, it really does, but it was a beautiful gesture,” Derek said.

To help support Jonah’s cause you can buy Java for Jonah bag of coffee for $15 at Grounded Coffee House in Rossville. They are open every day from 6:30 to 11:30 a.m.

You can now buy a bag of Java for Jonah coffee online at:.
http://www.bluejazzjava.com/java-for-jonah-1-lb-coffee-buy-5-get-1-free/

You can also donate to Jonah's Gofundme page at: https://www.gofundme.com/jonah-needs-our-help