How do you talk about the loss of a loved one with a child? Suffield resident Diane Pohorylo found a way by listening to her own grandson and creating a story for children inspired by his imagination.
Coinciding with National ALS Awareness Month in May, the children’s book Papa is on the Moon, is debuting nationally to raise money and awareness for ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease.
The story is based on the lives of two life-long Connecticut residents—Mike Pohorylo, who died from ALS, and his now six-year-old grandson, Alex; it tells an inspiring tale of coping with the loss of a very special loved one.
After Diane’s husband, Mike, died from ALS in 2013, Alex wondered where his grandfather was. One day, he declared that Papa was on the moon. The book follows Alex as he visits his grandfather, brought to life by the illustrations of East Hartford artist Barbara Lee.
ALS is a fatal neurodegenerative disease for which there is no cure or treatment. Proceeds from the book’s sales are being donated to the Robert Packard Center for ALS Research at Johns Hopkins University. The Center is the only international scientific operation dedicated solely to curing ALS.
The author has supported multiple fundraising efforts and spoken on Capitol Hill to get funding to support ALS research and benefits for patients, veterans and families. Papa is on the Moon, her first book, is another way to make an impact.
Copies of the book may be ordered from Bellastoria Press for $24.95 at http://bellastoriapress.com/product/papa-is-on-the-moon/.
For more information contact Diane Pohorylo at 860-668-6177 or hoya22@cox.net.