Laura Callanan's Fundraiser
I am running to honor Shea and prevent SUDEP
Please support my Marathon with Team Danny Did!
Kristin Waxmonsky
"This donation was made in honor of the Packaging Technical Innovation Leaders at Coopervision in loving memory of Shea Thomas Callanan"
$240
Thank you for considering a donation to support my 26.2 mile Chicago Marathon run dedicated to those facing epilepsy.
My son, Shea Thomas, passed away on October 12, 2024 due to SUDEP (Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy.)
Just like Danny, Shea was 4 years old. Shea loved fire trucks and monster trucks. Tractors and garbage trucks. Boat rides on Seneca Lake and sand castles on the beach. Pears, strawberries, oranges and chocolate chips. Shea’s spirit, personality and laugh were always on display. He was verbose from a very young age. He loved to make people laugh with his eloquent explanations, quips or a mischievous smile. From his balance bike to his two-wheeler, Shea loved riding his bike more than anything. We will always remember him this way. Doing loops in the St. Paul’s parking lot. Weaving through the School 23 playground. Shouting “Wooo-Hooo!!” just before reaching top speed with a smile beaming from his face.
Shea was pure light and he will always be my sunshine.
The marathon will take place on the one year anniversary of Shea's passing. Please join me in honoring Shea, raising SUDEP awareness, and protecting all those living with epilepsy!
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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 Foundations 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.