Brandon Merritt
B The Difference, the name and trademark for the Brandon Merritt Charitable Foundation, was founded in 2011 by Stephanie Johnson and Jessica Roberts to honor their late brother Brandon, or “B,” as his friends affectionally called him.
The nonprofit supports individuals battling with Neurofibromatosis (NF) and their families through the B Happy program and provides funding for medical research organization dedicated to finding a cure for NF.
When Brandon was eight months old, he was diagnosed with NF, a disease that targets the nervous system by developing tumors on nerve endings throughout the body, leading to blindness, bone abnormalities, cancer, deafness, disfigurement, learning disabilities and excruciating and disabling pain.
“Brandon never asked, ‘Why me?’ as NF compromised his ability to play sports and interact with children his age – if anything, his physical disabilities allowed his personality to become incredibly nurturing and sensitive. B The Difference is not just a catchy name – we truly strive to be the difference in the lives of individuals affected with NF,” states the nonprofit’s website.
For more information, visit bthedifference.org.