Ella’s Race to CURE Epilepsy 2022

Please walk or run with us!

Run/Walk registration: A donation of $25 per runner/walker is suggested, and that includes your walk T-shirt to wear that day!

Donate: Can’t attend but still want to help us cure epilepsy? Make a tax-deductible donation!

Event Details: On Sunday, August 21st, we will have a 2.6 Mile Fun Run AND a one-mile walk through La Grange Park to raise awareness and funds for epilepsy research! 1 in 26 people will develop epilepsy in their lifetime, and our 2.6-mile fun run route brings awareness to this fact. This is a family-friendly event, with music, snacks, and lots of smiles!

The event will begin at 10 am at the 500 N. Catherine block in La Grange Park. The race route will be closed for the event, so we encourage parking on Kensington or Ashland. Additional details for the event will be emailed to participants prior to race day!

Exciting News!

Epilepsy is frustrating and difficult to treat for many reasons, not the least of which is all the different ways it can manifest. Ella’s primary form of epilepsy, epileptic spasms, is particularly difficult because it is rare and there is very little research on it. In all the second (3^rd/4^th/5^th/etc.) opinions that we have solicited, one refrain is common amongst the doctors, there just is not that much out there on epileptic spasms. With this as motivation, we have worked with CURE Epilepsy to set up a special $500k grant to fund research on epileptic spasms specifically. This year, all money we raise in Ella’s race will go to fund this grant!  We are so excited for this amazing opportunity!

About Ella’s Race to CURE Epilepsy

Ella, who is the inspiration for this race.

First off, thank you for coming to visit our site! Our 12-year-old daughter Ella has severe epilepsy, and we’re raising money in her honor to help support research in epilepsy. Ella was first diagnosed with epilepsy days after her first birthday. Since that day we have tried approximately 20 different medications, special diets, prolonged hospital stays, surgical consults, second/third/fourth/etc. opinions all in hopes of bringing her seizures under control. Unfortunately, she still has frequent seizures that, when combined with all the medications she takes, have significantly slowed her development. Yet despite the seizures, meds, hospital stays, blood draws, and therapy appointments, Ella’s indelible spirit remains untouched. She continues to be our driving force, attacking each new challenge with a smile. You can learn more about Ella here.

Unfortunately, epilepsy’s reach extends far beyond just Ella, affecting over 3.4 million Americans, with 200,000 more cases being diagnosed each year. Approximately 50,000 deaths occur from seizures and seizure-related causes in the U.S. each year. CURE Epilepsy is the leading nongovernmental agency fully committed to funding research in epilepsy. CURE Epilepsy funds research grants for young and established investigators around the globe, and we believe these are the people who are going to be able to someday cure our Ella. Finding a new and novel treatment and changing technology is currently our only hope for Ella to become seizure-free. CURE Epilepsy is constantly at the forefront of the epilepsy research community, and they are also very fiscally responsible with all the contributions they receive. We are proud to be volunteers for CURE Epilepsy, and Shalee is also a Board Member for the organization. We are very passionate about this cause and believe CURE Epilepsy is the best agency out there to help us and Ella.

Waiver: In consideration of acceptance of this entry, I waive any and all claims for myself and my heirs against officials and sponsors of Ella’s Race for illness and injury which may result

We hope to see you there!