How does Jake feel about his epilepsy?

Some people will feel a little uncomfortable when they first learn that Jake has epilepsy and they'll ask how much he knows about it. We're very open with him, however, and he treats his condition with good humor. For example, when I ask him what he wants for dinner he responds with a "seizure salad."

Obviously, we know it's a serious condition. We live with it every day, but we are not letting it define us or Jake. And we deal with it like anyone else who deals with life's issues. Unfortunately, many people view epilepsy as a mystery. Sometimes, people with epilepsy feel incredibly alone and feel like they're the only people in the world who go through the experience.

Jake loves sports, so he plays on the all-star team at school. He plays first base and I coach first base, so I'm on the field all the time. So when he plays, I'm right there. If he ever has a seizure while at bat and starts leaning forward a little bit, he could get hit in the face with the ball. But I'm not going to stop him from playing baseball.

The coach of Jake's all-star baseball team asked me once how he needed to prepare for Jake's epilepsy. I told him that the most important thing is to not freak out when Jake has a seizure. If he's having a seizure, he should be fine. If it lasts longer than a certain time, here's what you do. It was important for the coach to know what to do and to be empowered if anything went wrong. I think it also helped to remove any sort of stigma.

Jake also wants to swim and ride a bike, but those are probably the most dangerous activities for him. Nevertheless, he absolutely does them, and he does them with reckless abandon like most children. And I'm right there with him. When he's in the pool, I'm swimming with him. I just don't let him stay underwater for very long.

I really hope and believe that Jake will not live with epilepsy for the majority of his life. There is so much new research happening today to help prevent or stop seizures.

How do Jake's friends at school react to his epilepsy?

Recently, on one of his first days of school, I was one of the parent traffic patrols when I heard an urgent announcement calling me to the school yard. I could tell by the voice calling me that something was really wrong. When I ran to the yard, Jake was on the ground and having a grand mal seizure. He was literally in a pool of blood from a cut he received when he fell. And no one would touch him because they didn't know what to do.

Unfortunately, the school has issues of liability and so they're not allowed to touch students under certain circumstances. However, if they just knew what was happening to Jake, they could have just put something under his head to make sure he didn't scrape his face on the ground. We took him to the emergency room and he got stitches in his chin.

It wasn't a great way for Jake to meet the kids on his first day of school, but I'm so proud of him. He said he wanted to go back to school regardless of the stitches, bruises and a road rash on his face.

Later that day, I was able to address the kids and teachers in the auditorium. And, of course, they had a lot of questions about what happened to Jake earlier. They asked Jake what it was like to have a seizure, and he was happy to answer. And from that day on, it just got easier for Jake. Now, if he has a major seizure, they know what to do. Academically, he struggles somewhat in school, but they have made special accommodations for him.

How do you react to the potential stigma of epilepsy?

Next to the seizures themselves, the stigma associated with epilepsy can be very damaging to people with epilepsy – especially children. Personally, we've learned to deal with Jake's epilepsy openly with him, his friends and our acquaintances.

Unfortunately, most people simply don't know very much about epilepsy and so seeing someone have seizures can be a frightening experience. It scares them.

Epilepsy is something that a lot of people – including those who have it – don't like to talk about. Some people are actually ashamed of it. And it is very violent when it strikes. It seems to strike out of nowhere, so it can be quite scary. But the message that I convey to Jake and other people who have epilepsy is to talk about it with others. Don't be afraid to talk about it. It is not something you should be whispering about or keep secret in the workplace.

Unfortunately, I know actors that have it. And they won't talk about it for a variety of reasons. I know that there are a lot of people who try to keep it a secret.

Kids, however, are kids and they are always curious and sometimes delightfully honest. Jake's fellow classmates and friends know that Jake has epilepsy. They ask him about it. They talk about it. Recently, Jake had a sleepover party in the living room when he was nine and I went downstairs to say goodnight to them. I asked how many of them had ever seen Jake experiencing a seizure. They all raised their hands. Then I asked them what was the worst seizure they every saw.

One of the kids said it happened when they were playing football and he described it. I felt so satisfied knowing at that moment these kids had accepted Jake and his epilepsy. Suddenly, it was like a cool thing to talk about. The kids don't mind talking about it, but they don't talk about it all the time. And then one of the kids said he used to have epilepsy but he outgrew it. And Jake looked at him with surprise as his face lit up. The other kids were talking about it and they weren't afraid.

If everybody talks about it – like those kids – and people have enough information about epilepsy to deal with it, then people are much more at ease and the stigma could go away.

People are always going to be scared of any kind of a disease or disorder. That's why more people should learn that it's not a big deal as long as people with epilepsy get the right treatment, always have emergency medicine with them and try to let the people around them know what's going on. Someday, maybe everyone will know.

What can you tell us about your new show on NBC?

It is called Heroes. It is going to be on NBC in the fall on Monday nights at 9 p.m. I think it is a really cool show. It's basically what would happen if you woke up and you developed a super power. For example, I play an LAPD cop who wakes up to hearing voices. I quickly learn that I'm actually hearing other people's thoughts. Meanwhile, another average guy wakes up and has the ability to fly. But all of these abilities come to each of us very slowly and we don't know why we're getting them.

And wouldn't you know, but there's an evil force trying to stop what's happening. Luckily, there are eight people chosen to save the world with their super powers, but we still haven't come together. And when we do, watch out!

While the show is filled with terrific special effects, it has great characters dealing with the changes in their lives. Tim Kring, who created Crossing Jordan, created Heroes.

When parents of children with epilepsy — like Greg and his wife — take an active role in seeking the best treatment options for their kids, encourage them and teach others about the condition, they make great inroads into eliminating stigma. Armed with information on first aid, treatment, safety and socialization, they become true heroes in the fight to ensure that not another moment is lost to seizures.