I am running 26.2 miles for my son Owen who has had unexplained seizures, for the Danny Did foundation, and other families who are facing the unknowns of seizures.

In October of 2016 our son Owen, age two, had two unexplained seizures. It was absolutely the scariest experience of my life. Twice that day my husband and I were sure we were losing our son. Sitting in the hospital with him while he had a 24 hour EEG done we were trying to learn as much as possible about seizures. It was unbelievably overwhelming! Even with an amazing hospital staff and an incredible neurologist we still felt very unsure of how to best care for our son to keep him as safe as possible. Now it is months later and we are still learning and facing challenges in doing what is best for our son.

A few months later I was introduced to the Danny Did foundation and I cannot say enough how much I wish I had known about this foundation on day one. So many of the questions that parents or patients who are facing seizures for the first time will have are answered by the Danny Did website. As a parent when you're first trying to learn as much as possible as quickly as possible it seems impossible to ask the right questions.

It is challenging to get the answers to questions you don't even know to ask.

It is my hope that any parent facing the unknown of seizures with their child for the first time would be introduced to the Danny Did foundation. Simply knowing that they are not alone is a great benefit. Being able to access the research and resources that may help them keep their child as safe as possible is invaluable.

Six months after my sons first seizure it is reassuring to know that there is an organization that is working to raise awareness for epilepsy and SUDEP. So that the next mom who experiences the fear, the unknown, the stress of seeing their child experience a seizure will be better and more quickly equipped than those of us before.

Thank you for considering a donation and supporting my run for Owen.

Sincerely,

Taunaleah

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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 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 impacted 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 nearly 3 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 impacted by the disorder, is that seizures can be fatal. More people die as a result of seizures than from fires and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) combined. The causes of death can vary and include drowning, other accidents and status epilepticus (prolonged seizures). In addition, thousands of deaths occur annually from SUDEP, a fact that is little known and too rarely addressed in public and in medical circles. The name of the Danny Did Foundation originates from the last line of Danny Stanton's obituary, written by his dad: "Please go and enjoy your life. Danny did."