Benefit held for Sylacauga boy with rare disease | Health

There are only 150 children worldwide who have been diagnosed with the rare disease RCDP (Rhizomelic Chondrodysplasia Punctata), and four-year-old Jackson Thomas of Sylacauga is one of them. At birth he was given only six months to one year to live, but he celebrated his 4th birthday in Novemeber 2011.

Tonight, the Sylacauga community is coming together to raise money for research on the rare disease. A benefit concert and dinner will be held tonight at 6 p.m. at Harvey's on Noble in Sylacauga. All 200 tickets for the dinner and entertainment portions of the event are sold out, according to family friend Tangie Collins.

A silent auction is also part of tonight's programs and some of Jackson's owns paintings will be among the items auctioned. Jackson created the original paintings by using his feet. A Birmingham artist has helped make reprints of the paintings which will be available tonight. Other items up for auction are gift baskets donated from local Sylacauga businesses, an autographed Elton John record, Alabama and Auburn prints and photography sessions.

Christ Phillips and Chuck Terrell, local artists who impersonate Elton John and Billy Joel, will begin performing at 7 p.m.

The proceeds from the benefit will go to Rhizo Kids International, an organization started to help fund research for treatment and a cure for RCPD. Find out more from www.rhizokids.com.

Fox 6 Reporter Clare Huddleston will be attending the benefit and will report on it tonight at 9:30 p.m., so tune in to Fox 6 News for her story.