A Week of Epilepsy in D.C.

[Lisa Boylan]

The Epilepsy Foundation is gearing up for a week of epilepsy in our nation's capital. There will be the Concert for Epilepsy on Saturday, March 26, just outside D.C. Then Sunday, March 27, is the 5th annual National Walk for Epilepsy. It's not too late to register! If you can't make it to D.C., you can still walk in your own community with our virtual Walk. Sunday night will kick off our signature advocacy events--Kids Speak Up! and our Public Policy Institute. Tuesday, March 20 will be our annual gala. This year's theme is Boots and Suits: Stomp Out Epilepsy!

The Concert for Epilepsy is organized by an amazing guy, Chad Barth, whose sister Christina has a severe form of epilepsy. Christina's love of music inspired to Chad to make a difference and raise funds for epilepsy with a concert that started out as two guys doing karoake into a full-fledged event with Grammy-nominated bands. Country music stars Josh Turner and Little Big Town will headline the event. And, now through Sunday, March 20th, all registered Walk participants can use the discount code: 'EFAWALK11' to recieve a $5 discount off all tickets. All proceeds benefit the Epilepsy Foundation. It's a great way to kick off a series of programs all dedicated to raising awareness and funds for epilepsy--and to advocate on Capitol Hill.

We are really excited for the National Walk for Epilepsy! Everyone in the national office is buzzing around raising money for their own teams in very innovative ways. I think this is going to be one of the best Walks ever--and I've been to all five! I look forward to meeting all of you on the National Mall. Connor Doran--the talented indoor kite flyer from America's Got Talent will be there along with a great band, In Remembrance. This is a family-oriented event with plenty of activities for kids in addition to the non-competitive Walk that winds around D.C.'s beautiful monuments and famous cherry blossoms.

Then Sunday, March 27, in the evening, Kids Speak Up! and our Public Policy Institute will begin. I'm looking forward to meeting the 45 kids who are coming from all across the country to talk to their members of Congress about what it's like to live with epilepsy. It's really incredible to watch these kids walk through the power corridors of Capitol Hill with their individual messages. The senators and congressmen genuinely listen to them and their stories definitely make a difference. It's hard to turn a blind eye to a child who is speaking from the heart about epilepsy.

On Tuesday, March 29, we will host our 2011 Boots and Suits Gala to stomp out epilepsy. We'll be honoring former Oklahoma governor Frank Keating. Veteran D.C. pundit Sam Donaldson will host the event, which promises to be an elegant evening of music, conversation, auctions and more.

It's a busy time at the Foundation. I hope you will be able to attend one--or all--of these special events. I'll be blogging right after the Walk and then live from Kids Speak Up! 

Stay tuned!