I am running the 2021 Chicago Marathon in support of the Danny Did Foundation. Your gift will help protect kids with Epilepsy.

Hi. My name is Janel. My daughter Evan and I were to run the Chicago Marathon as a duo team to promote epilepsy awareness and raise funds for The Danny Did Foundation on 10-10-21

Evan and I ran together as a duo team for about five years. Together, we completed 3 full marathons, more than 50 half marathons, and numerous 5k, 10k, and 15k races. Evan was non-ambulatory due to spastic quad Cerebral Palsy, in addition to her lifelong battle with intractable epilepsy. I pushed her in an adaptive running chair. It was something that we very much enjoyed doing together.

Chicago was one of our favorite destinations to visit. We were very much looking forward to completing our first Chicago Marathon and supporting Team Danny Did.

Sadly, Evan passed away on 9-2-21

Due to the pandemic, Evan’s health, and really rough year, I am not physically in any shape to run a marathon. But, Evan never gave up or quit trying and neither will I.

It was a last-minute decision, but I am going to participate with Team Danny Did in The Bank of America 2021 Chicago Marathon on 10-10-21 !!!

The mission of The Danny Did Foundation is very important to me. They educate caregivers and the medical community about SUDEP (sudden unexpected death in epilepsy) and also provide life-saving seizure monitors to those in need.

Your tax-deductible contribution of any amount is greatly appreciated.

Thank you!

About Danny Did Foundation

Founded by Chicago parents Mike and Mariann Stanton in 2010 after the sudden death of their four-year-old son Danny, the Danny Did Foundation’s primary mission is to prevent deaths caused by seizures. The Foundation advances public awareness of epilepsy and Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy (SUDEP), strives to improve communication about SUDEP between medical professionals and families affected by seizures, and advocates for the mainstream acceptance and use of seizure detection and prediction devices that may assist in preventing seizure-related deaths.

Epilepsy affects 3.4 million people in the United States and 65 million people worldwide. One in 26 Americans will develop epilepsy during their lifetime. But what few people understand, including many people with epilepsy, is that seizures can be fatal. More people die as a result of seizures than from fires and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) combined. In addition to deaths caused by drowning, other accidents, and status epilepticus (prolonged seizures),thousands of deaths occur annually from SUDEP, a fact that is little known and too rarely addressed by medical professionals and in public discussions of epilepsy.

The Danny Did Foundation takes it's name from the last line of Danny Stanton’s obituary, written by his dad: “Please go and enjoy your life. Danny did.” We celebrate Danny’s spirit in every child and family we reach.