I am running to Protect Kids with Epilepsy

Hey all,

Many of you already know this, but I was diagnosed with epilepsy back in 2019. I consider myself relatively lucky because my specific case has been pretty manageable, and I've only had a few nocturnal seizures since my diagnosis. Yet, every night when we go to bed, Megan and I know there's a risk I have another seizure, even if all my risk factors are controlled. We have learned over the past 7 years that the right interventions can make seizure prevention more likely, but it's never guaranteed.

In our experience, uncertainty can be one of the hardest parts of having epilepsy - not just for myself as a patient, but for Megan as a caregiver. And on that particular front, the Danny Did Foundation is doing incredible work to help. Patients and caregivers can't know everything about epilepsy and seizures, but the Danny Did Foundation is providing resources and devices that can bring just a little more certainty back into everyday life.

I encourage you to read more about the Danny Did Foundation below, explore the resources on their website, and consider making a donation. It's an honor to run on their team in the Chicago Marathon this year, and I hope the tangible actions they're taking towards their mission statement resonate with you as much as they did with me. Even if a donation isn't possible right now, I hope you'll keep them in mind for the future.

-Michael

----------------------------------------------------------------

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.