Adrienne Betenbaugh's Fundraiser
I am running to Protect Kids with Epilepsy
Please support my Marathon for Danny Did Foundation
Leah Hennessey
"Go Adrienne!!"
$50
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Shannon Smedstad
"My strong, beautiful friend! I remember you going through all of this with Fi. Your strength during the hard times and your positivity were inspiring."
A supporter of Adrienne Betenbaugh
I donated in support of this campaign.
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Jazmyn Mijuskovic
"Always cheering you on! "
$25
Thank you for considering a donation to support my 26.2 mile Chicago Marathon run dedicated to those facing epilepsy.
My journey with seizures dates back to having my son, Milo, in the spring of 2015. Roughly 24 hours after he was born I had my first seizure. It was attributed to Eclampsia, and wasn't seriously evaluated after that.
Fast forward 5 years later, I experienced 2 Tonic-Clonic (grand mal) seizures during Fiona's premature delivery at 29 weeks, and 2 more seizures exactly one month later. After a multi-day and multi-week stay at MUSC, I was diagnosed with a genetic form of Epilepsy.
I consider myself incredibly lucky. I made it through a very difficult time in my life. The pain of which still ebbs and flows. The seizures during that fall of 2020 had a number of side effects, none of which were easy, made only more difficult by having a daughter in the NICU. However, we both slowly and surely made incredible progress and to this day, have wonderful health.
I know many others aren't as fortunate. I made it a mission for myself- to not let this diagnosis slow me down or deter me from pursuing my passions in life, including running.
This marathon will be my 6th lifetime marathon, and 4th since my diagnosis. On October 21 (also my 40th birthday), I will be 5 years seizure free. I can only hope, pray, and help fundraise for important causes, such as Danny Did, so others can experience seizure freedom like myself.
Any amount is extremely valuable and I can't thank you enough for supporting me in this journey.
**Note:** Please make your donation through this fundraising page. Do not make a donation through social media platforms to this official page.
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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.