Sabina Rose Joana was born on August 21, 2012. At six months old Sabina started having seizures. Over the next nine months she was prescribed six different medications and was on four of those medications at the time of her death in December of 2013. None of the prescribed medications were successful in arresting her seizures. Her parents, Paula and Philip Joana were in the process of applying for a Medical Marijuana card but the laws in New Jersey prevented quick and easy access to compassionate care. It was not the doctors; it was the laws in New Jersey that held up the process. As a result of the failed Medical Marijuana program in New Jersey and the failed FDA medications, Sabina passed away on December 2, 2013 due to a prolonged Tonic-clonic seizure.

Thanks to all of your help, bill S2842, with Governor Christie's conditions, has become law. He changed a few things before he signed it, and while we are not happy with the changes, we at least took a small step forward. Although the 3-strain limit was lifted, the governor chose to keep it difficult for minors to get into the program and he's only allowing edibles to be sold to minors. Adults will have very limited choices.

We want to encourage the health commissioner & governor to correct the mistakes of the past and move forward with the intent of the law as written by the people's representatives. It is time to give Governor Christie and Commissioner O'Dowd the opportunity to show that they genuinely care for the severely afflicted citizens of NJ.

Sabina was a magical baby, always happy and loved by everyone. Her baby brother will never get to know her, only in his dreams. Nobody with epilepsy should have to take medications that don’t work. Medical Marijuana would have saved her life. Paula and Philip are fighting to change the laws on the federal and state levels to try and prevent the unnecessary and untimely deaths of other children suffering from Dravet Syndrome.

At this time, The Love Nugget Foundation is asking for your signature to petition Governor Chris Christie as there is currently no access to appropriate medicine for appropriate forms for the foreseeable future.