I am running because one seizure changed my perspective.

This October, I'll be running the Chicago Marathon in support of the Danny Did Foundation. Danny Did was founded by a couple in Evanston after they lost their son Danny to SUDEP (sudden unexpected death in epilepsy) and offers seizure alert devices, resources and education to children and their families facing epilepsy and seizure disorders. The name of the foundation originates from the last line of Danny's obituary, written by his dad: "Please go and enjoy your life. Danny Did."

Two years ago, on June 17, 2024, I experienced a seizure that changed my life. What followed was an extended hospital stay and a long road to recovery from the neurological event and a broken and dislocated shoulder. The next year was full of doctor's appointments, CT scans and EEGs, anti-seizure medication (and corresponding side effects which seriously impacted my mood and energy level) along with uncertainty on when the next seizure may come. I emerged from this challenging period, but the path through was not always clear.

My experience gave me an appreciation for the challenges faced every day by children and families living with epilepsy. For many, seizures are not a one-time event but a constant reality that affects their health, safety, and peace of mind. Many children with epilepsy live permanently with the side effects of medication, and still others face drug-resistant epilepsy and are never able to mitigate the risk of ongoing seizures. Like Danny, every year, a startling number of people with epilepsy are lost too soon from SUDEP.

Throughout my personal recovery, running became an important part of getting back to normal. Each mile represented progress, physically, mentally, and emotionally. What began as a personal recovery journey has now become an opportunity to give back. By running the Chicago Marathon, I hope to turn a difficult experience into something positive for others.

I am proud to support the Danny Did Foundation, an organization based in Evanston, that works to improve the lives and safety of children living with epilepsy through education, advocacy, and access to seizure-monitoring technology. Their mission is deeply personal to me, and I am grateful for the opportunity to support a cause making a meaningful impact in a community that has long been home.

My goal is to raise $5,000 for Danny Did so they may continue supporting children and families affected by epilepsy. Every donation, no matter the size, helps fund programs that improve safety, expand awareness, and provide critical resources to families that need them.

Thank you for supporting this cause and for helping me turn 26.2 miles into an opportunity to make a difference.

- Josh

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.