Run for Epilepsy: Help Prevent SUDEP

This November is National Epilepsy Awareness Month, and I’m sharing my story as I prepare to run a marathon for the South Carolina Advocates for Epilepsy Foundation. I was diagnosed with epilepsy at just 18 months old, which initially took away my ability to walk and talk. Throughout my childhood, I made progress only to be set back by recurrent seizures.

In my senior year of high school, after being seizure-free for four years, I experienced four seizures in one night, which led to a six-month suspension of my driving privileges. This past January, I faced my most difficult challenge yet—20 seizures over one weekend, making it the hardest semester of my college career.

Epilepsy is often a silent struggle, but its impact is deep and far-reaching. One critical issue that needs more attention is Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy (SUDEP), the leading cause of death among people with epilepsy, especially those aged 20-30. Seizure alert devices like alert bracelets and service dogs are critical to prevent SUDEP.