Henoch-Schonlein purpura Disease
Hunter James Candles was born from our sons (and our family's) desire to raise money to support research into Henoch-Schonlein purpura disease and to bring more love, light and healing to others. We were living in Singapore when our young son became very ill one night and kept screaming in pain. He had severe belly pain and vomiting over two days.
We spent the next two days/ three nights driving constantly to and from different hospitals, trying to find out what was wrong. It was the most frightening time of our life. We kept getting sent home as the doctors had no idea what was wrong with him.
On the second evening our young son's ear and knee swelled up and he appeared to have bruises/ rash all over his body. We went back again to hospital at midnight, absolutely desperate. Luckily there was an older doctor was on the midnight shift at the hospital and finally correctly identified Henoch-Schonlein purpura, HSP disease.
We were told by the doctor that Henoch-Schonlein purpura is a rare auto immune disorder (affecting one in one hundred thousand children under ten) that causes the small blood vessels in your skin, joints, intestines and kidneys to become inflamed and bleed. This is when the body's immune system attacks the body's own cells and organs. The most striking feature of this form of vasculitis is a purplish rash, typically on the lower legs and buttocks. Henoch-Schonlein purpura can also cause abdominal pain and aching joints and kidney damage can occur.
Our young son spent two weeks in hospital with us sleeping on the floor in shifts beside him. He then spent a year having treatment with high doses of steroids. Regular visits to hospitals for needles for blood and urine tests (for protein in the kidney) resulted in constant screams due to him hating needles
and the high doses of steroids (although vital for treatment) negatively effected his temperament and his weight.
The cause of Henoch-Schonlein purpura disease is still unknown. A percentage of sales from each Hunter James Candles is donated to research into this unknown disease. 
