Did you know?
• 1 in 26 people will DEVELOP EPILEPSY.
• Without warning, seizures can happen to ANY ONE at ANY AGE.
• When a person has TWO OR MORE unprovoked seizures, they have epilepsy.
• In the US, epilepsy is AS COMMON AS breast cancer.
• 1 in 10 people will HAVE A SEIZURE.
• There are 110,000 Georgians, 3 million in the US and 65 million people worldwide living with epilepsy.
The Epilepsy Foundation of Georgia (EFGA) will hold its 35th Annual Magnolia Run and Walk for Epilepsy on Saturday, August 18. The event, held annually in Atlanta at the Perimeter Mall, has raised both funds and awareness for epilepsy in the state of Georgia for 35 years! Last year’s event brought more than 1,600 participants from across the state of Georgia who raised over $170,000. This event provides crucial financial support for the Epilepsy Foundation of Georgia’s programs and services, including epilepsy education, seizure first aid and recognition, an emergency medication assistance fund, youth and adult summer camp scholarships, and much-needed advocacy and awareness.
East Cobber Jane Fox has recruited friends and family to participate in the Magnolia Run for the last 9 years, and this will be their 8th year forming “Team Jill.” Last year, with the help of so many friends and family, their team raised over $11,000 and came in 3rd place for fundraising. Epilepsy is a seizure disorder and a chronic illness for which there is currently no cure. “One may appear fine on the outside but is plagued by many issues. Those may include memory loss, anxiety/depression, sleeplessness and sleepiness, the loss of driving, chronic fatigue/headaches and more due to the side effects of medication or the effects of the seizure itself. Unfortunately, we have witnessed all of these in our daughter, Jill, over the past 11 years. It is our lifelong goal to raise funds for more research so that one day no more moments will be lost to seizures,” shares Jane.
In hopes of raising awareness for epilepsy and money for Team Jill, Lizard Thicket (Jill’s favorite store) has agreed to host an event on August 8th from 5-8pm at their Merchants Walk-East Cobb location and will donate 20% of all proceeds during that event. Jane Fox will be providing appetizers and drinks.
The Epilepsy Foundation of Georgia is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization serving the entire state of Georgia; not only those living with epilepsy, but the entire community. The foundation’s dedicated staff, board of directors, and volunteers strive to eliminate all obstacles presented by epilepsy in the lives of those affected, and hopes to one day see a cure!
By giving a donation or signing up for the run, you are not just helping Team Jill, but all people out there with epilepsy. Every donation makes a difference. For more information about Epilepsy Foundation of Georgia and/or their Magnolia Run, visit www.epilepsyga.org.
This article originally appeared in the August issue of the EAST COBBER magazine, on page 52. Click here to view the digital edition.
