Epilepsy Foundation Unites Celebrities, NFL Stars and Advocates for the National Walk for Epilepsy
Epilepsy Foundation Unites Celebrities, NFL Stars and Advocates for the National Walk for Epilepsy
Washington, D.C. (March 15, 2010) —More than five thousand people, including Hollywood favorite Greg Grunberg and NFL stars Alan Faneca of the New Jets, Jason Snelling of the Atlanta Falcons and Geoffrey Pope of the Philadelphia Eagles, are expected for the Epilepsy Foundation’s fourth annual National Walk for Epilepsy on Saturday, March 27 at 8:30am. The event starts at Jefferson Drive and 14th Streets.
Grunberg, star of NBC’s hit show Heroes and Chair of the Walk, whose family will walk in support of his oldest son, Jake, who has epilepsy serves as chairperson for the fourth consecutive year. He will be joined by Faneca, a New York Jets guard, who will walk with his family because he and his daughter have epilepsy. Also returning to walk with his family this year is Atlanta Falcons running back, Jason Snelling, who was diagnosed with epilepsy as a teen. And for a third year, Geoffrey Pope, a Philadelphia Eagles cornerback, will lead a team in honor of his grandmother, who experiences seizures.
The purpose of the Walk is to unite people from all over the country to raise awareness of epilepsy on Capitol Hill, support programs for people with the condition and their families, and help in the search for a cure.
Over the past three years, the Walk has attracted over 20,000 people and raised more than $3 million. This year’s theme, “You Don’t Walk Alone,” is a reminder for those impacted by seizures that there are millions of advocates dedicated to ensuring there is help for today and hope for tomorrow.
“Epilepsy greatly impacts those who have the condition as well as their caregivers, and loved ones,” said Eric. R. Hargis, president & CEO of the Epilepsy Foundation. “That’s why it’s so important to have a national event to demonstrate the effectiveness of the army of compassion and support that surrounds people with epilepsy. Every year, the crowd gets bigger and new relationships develop that change lives and empower families to talk openly about the condition.”
The non-competitive walk is slightly more than two miles and winds around the national monuments and historical museums. This year’s activities include, the “Run Up to the Walk,” pre-rally sponsored by Lundbeck, a children’s play tent, live entertainment and an epilepsy education expo. The expo will feature presentations spotlighting individuals living with epilepsy and participants can visit information stations for discussions and free materials highlighting the Epilepsy Foundation’s programs and services.
Major sponsors for the 2010 National Walk for Epilepsy are Eisai, Lundbeck, UCB, Questcor, and Sepracor. For more information or to register for the Walk, visit www.WalkforEpilepsy.org.
