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Your gift has the power to spark real change

Each year on SUDEP Action Day, CURE Epilepsy focuses on research, awareness, and education. Twenty-one years ago, when my son died from Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy (SUDEP), such a day did not exist. Through my journey to honor Christopher’s legacy, I’ve learned one person’s story can make an enormous impact.

Christopher was a tall, vibrant kid, who lit up a room with his magnetic personality. He was an exceptional student, graduating 10th in his high school class. His deep passion for baseball developed on a modest grass island in our neighborhood where kids gathered to play. He played multiple positions in high school and college, and loved the New York Yankees.

No words can describe the devastation of his death. He was away at college, just a few months from graduation. I struggled through the stages of grief, but the hardest by far was acceptance. What happened to Christopher, and to anyone who has lost their life to SUDEP, is simply unacceptable.

I needed to understand why and learned that no one knew. My search for answers led me to Citizens United for Research in Epilepsy, now known as CURE Epilepsy.

Together, we addressed a critical gap in epilepsy research by launching the first-ever SUDEP-focused grant mechanism. Since then, CURE Epilepsy continues to lead this effort. The guidelines doctors use today to help patients reduce the risk of SUDEP grew out of CURE Epilepsy’s investment in this early work.

As I reflect on CURE Epilepsy’s impact over the last 25 years, I see how far we have come. Still, SUDEP haunts us. Every research project brings us closer to understanding and eliminating this problem. People like you drive our progress forward by remembering children like mine. Today, on SUDEP Action Day, your gift has the power to spark real change.

Jeanne Donalty,

Christopher Donalty’s Mother

Our mission is to find a cure for epilepsy, by promoting and funding patient-focused research.

CURE Epilepsy is a non-profit 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization. Our tax identification number is 36-4253176.