I am running the 2018 Chicago Marathon for the Danny Did Foundation.

I first heard of the Danny Did Foundation at WHO Club (Volunteering and Service Club in Niles North High School). I unfortunately never had the chance to meet Danny, but his story inspired me greatly. I followed the foundation on Facebook and I always loved hearing about how much this foundation has changed and impacted so many people's lives.

For the past year, I have witnessed my friends pushing themselves harder than ever before during their training for the Chicago Marathon. I looked at them with awe and pride and I made a promise to myself that one day I will run a marathon too.

One day my family and I spontaneously decided to go downtown. We did not know that it was the Chicago Marathon day, so we were all really shocked to see so many people in their running gear. I will never forget seeing the faces of people who have finished running the marathon. They looked so happy and even though they just finished running 26.2 miles, their energy was contagious. It reminded me of how I felt after my four years of involvement in Dance Marathon in my high school. Helping other people is the greatest and best feeling in the entire world. After seeing the runners, I clearly remember turning to my mom and telling her, "I am going to run a marathon next year."

Now here I am getting to run my first marathon! I am so exited to work with the Danny Did Foundation to spread awareness about epilepsy and Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy (SUDEP). Thank you for looking at my page and if you would like to know more about the Danny Did Foundation then keep reading below!

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."