Team Danny Did in the 2018 Bank of America Chicago Marathon

I am one of those lucky people who met two of my best friends as a young child. Those close to me know "Colleen and Ashley" well. Their families welcomed me into their own (and vice versa) when I was just 7 years old, and have continued to do so over the past 25 years! In October, the three of us will be running the Chicago Marathon to raise money and awareness for childhood epilepsy and seizure disorders.

In November 2017, Colleen's now eleven month old daughter Charlotte (Charlie) began having seizures. Colleen and her husband Nick have been through a lot these past few months with terrifying seizures, trips to the ER and tons of doctors' appointments. But they have been so strong for Charlie, and are driven to finding the best solution to keep her seizure-free and a happy, healthy girl. Charlie is a beautiful and sweet baby, and I continue to hope that someday she will be seizure-free.

Colleen is so motivated to raise money for epilepsy and seizure awareness that she is running the marathon, despite everything else on her plate right now! Those who know Colleen know that she is an incredibly strong woman. Ten years ago, her younger sister Katie, passed away suddenly. Despite her loss, she works as a nurse practitioner treating patients with terminal brain tumors. She has faced heartache and stress in her life that most have not, and yet she meets each day with a smile on her face, and an ear to listen to other people's troubles. I am incredibly lucky to have her in my life.

Now, I am joining the Danny Did team to raise funds in honor of Charlie, and all those other children who experience seizures. Danny Did works toward its mission to prevent deaths caused by seizures by advancing public awareness of Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy (SUDEP), enhancing the SUDEP communication model between medical professionals and families afflicted by seizures, and the mainstreaming of seizure detection and prediction devices that may assist in preventing seizure-related deaths. The non-profit organization honors the life of four year old Danny and his family's message in the face of his death: Please go and enjoy your life. Danny did.

Thank you for supporting us as we train for the marathon. Thank you for supporting the Masters' family and praying for them, especially Charlie. Thank you for your encouragement for all those children battling seizure disorders. And thank you for donating to this important cause! Xoxo, Ellen