Deniro and Ella - When Life Gives You Lemons, Make Lemonade

Eleven-year-olds Deniro Bruno and Ella Melchionno of Medford have been friends since kindergarten and they have been lucky to be in a few classes together throughout the years. They are in the fifth grade. Outside of the classroom you can often find the friends playing chase on the playground or just sitting on top of the monkey bars in their own world chatting and laughing.

Deniro and Ella have so much in common, but one thing is very different and affects Deniro’s daily life. Deniro has neurofibromatosis (NF), a genetic disorder of the nervous system that causes tumors to form on the nerves anywhere in or on the body at any time and affects three times as many people as cystic fibrosis and muscular dystrophy combined. His official diagnosis of NF was confirmed in 2010 with an MRI that showed he had a plexiform neurofibroma in his left cheek.

For Ella she has made it her personal mission to raise awareness and funds for neurofibromatosis research. She has been hosting lemonade stands for the past few years to raise money for NF. Each year she comes with her family to the Steps2Cure NF walk in Wakefield which is organized by Burlington based non-profit Neurofibromatosis Northeast and presents Deniro with the money she raised for NF. Most recently she selflessly donated all $400 of proceeds from her lemonade stand.

Ella said, "I do the lemonade stand for him because I want to help find a cure for Deniro and others who have NF."

Ella can often be spotted wearing clothing with the Neurofibromatosis Northeast logo on it including her “What’s the word?” sweatshirt around town as her way to spread awareness of NF. The “What’s the word?” sweatshirts and t-shirts and #TheWordIs campaign was created to encourage people to say the word neurofibromatosis because many people have trouble pronouncing the word.

Ella says of her friendship with Deniro, "Deniro is the type of kid who is kind to everyone. That is one of the many reasons I like being friends with him. He is also really funny.”

Deniro’s Mother Jessica Bruno is so happy about the nice bond that they have formed over the years.

“Ella has been so supportive of him and has helped him in class with some of the things that he struggles with,” said Jessica Bruno. “One time when they were younger the class did a presentation for the families and Deniro’s part was to read a passage from the story. Well, it brought tears to my eyes to see her sitting right there with him, helping him with his reading as he read the story aloud to the audience.”

Jessica knows that when Deniro and Ella go to middle school next year she knows Deniro will have Ella by his side as he continues to fight NF.

About Neurofibromatosis Northeast

Neurofibromatosis Northeast’s mission is to find treatments and the cure for neurofibromatosis (NF) by promoting scientific research, creating awareness, and supporting those who are affected by NF. For more information please call (781) 272-9936 or visit the website www.nfnortheast.org.