I am running to Protect Kids with Epilepsy

Epilepsy is a harsh neurological disease that is not talked about enough. Two important people in my life have been impacted by epilepsy. My friend Brendan Numedahl had epilepsy: a disease I had only vaguely heard about after knowing him for 6 years, running track together, and playing countless baseball games together. His epilepsy was fairly mild, and thanks to modern medicine, his episodes were few. That was true until he entered college at Iowa State, when he suddenly had a severe epileptic seizure while he was asleep. Sadly, he passed away. The tragic loss of my friend hits me like a ton of bricks crashing down all at one time.
Two of my cousins also suffer from epilepsy. My first cousin, Reba, has episodes where her mind takes breaks. I have never really noticed her seizures. My second cousin, Ryan, has had over 600 seizures in his short life. The disease has made communication hard for him. However, if I play basketball with him, he gives me a warm smile and a big belly laugh.
Epilepsy has most likely impacted you or someone you know, too. This is why I will be running in the Chicago Marathon in conjunction with the Danny Did foundation— an organization centered around bringing awareness and searching for a cure to epilepsy. I cannot imagine running for a more worthwhile cause, and I would love to guide others to do the same.Thank you for considering a donation to support my 26.2 mile Chicago Marathon run dedicated to those facing epilepsy.

______________________________________________________________

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. Danny Did Foundation takes its 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.