When I started, my reasons were very personal. My then 3-year-old son was starting to ask very normal, but very intuitive questions about my Epilepsy. "Why do you take medicine so much? Will you ever have a seizure again? What do I do? Why do people not talk about Epilepsy?" The last one hurt. I realized it was kind of true. We talked about it a lot. I'm a talker. A sharer. But, it wasn't something as in the open as other conditions. And, I realized that I refused to bring my son up in a world that was ignorant to a condition his own mother had.
Being a teacher, my best and favorite platform for education was a classroom - a classroom with younger kids. The Anita Kaufmann Foundation helped me with this. They provided me materials - I added my own personal story which the students really grasped on to - a story of trial by fire and perseverance and my "lecture circuit" started. That first year I was in two schools. Last year, I spoke to roughly 1,000 students.
One of the earlier Purple Days circa 2011
Ready to "Amp Up Awareness"
Last year, The Foundation started one of my favorite events, the Purple Day Walk for Epilepsy and Brain Games http://purpledayeveryday.org/events/moawalk/
I laughed, I cried, I relished being around so many other Ambassadors and supporters who shared my story. I also LOVED meeting the fantastic women who are there to support my "new growing ideas" every day - Debbie and Ann Marie! When the announcement of this walk was made and the new purple shoelaces for 2015 were showcased - I knew I had to get in on the action...and Step Up for Epilepsy Awareness was born.
Walking the Purple Carpet at "The Walk"
The FINAL steps to miles 2,015
Join me! Share your story...love the moment. Raise the awareness. Together we are unstoppable.
Happy 2016 - this is our year. :)