This year’s walk is Saturday, April 1, at the North Collier Regional Park on
Livingston Road. Registration opens at 8 a.m., and the two-mile walk starts at 9 a.m. Registration is $20 for adults and $10 for children prior to March 2, increases to $25 for adults and $15 for children aſter that, and at the door will be $35 for adults and $20 for children. The day includes live music by Sarah Hadeka and Friends, a silent auction,
raffles and a pizza party. Vendors in atendance will include Way Too Tall Torrie, P.A.T.C.H. (Project Art Therapy for Children’s Health), Sunovion Pharma, Supernus Pharma, Toti Media, Inc., Lundbeck and Cyberonics/Livanova. “We try to make it fun and family oriented while raising awareness,” Danny
says. “The money is important, but it comes in second.” This year, some of the proceeds will go toward the Naples Epilepsy Resource
Center being created at and in collaboration with the Greater Naples YMCA, where the support group meets. There will be books, magazines, pamphlets and a computer workstation so people can research the disorder and neurologists. It will be staffed daily, “so people living with epilepsy and their caretakers don’t
need to worry about being alone in the world.” Danny credits the development of
the center to support from the YMCA’s CEO and President Paul Thein, former board chairman Guy Blanchete and the Epilepsy Foundation of Florida’s CEO Karen Basha Egozi and Vice Presi- dent of Advancement Mary Gomez. The free group meets the second
Wednesday of the month at 7 p.m. (except in summer) and is open to in- dividuals and family members affected by epilepsy. Guest speakers address topics such as nutrition, yoga, being your own advocate and support dogs.
Epilepsy is the fourth most common neurological disorder and affects people of all ages. It is estimated that 1 in 26 people will develop epilepsy in their lifetime. The chronic disorder can be treated with medications and sometimes surgery.
Supporters at Walk the Talk 2016 including (right photo) Danny Rosenfeld, middle, his mother Lizzie, second from left, and stepfa- ther Burt Golumbic, second from right, supporter Pat Dean, far left, and Fla. Rep- resentative Matt Hudson, far right. Photos courtesy of the Epilepsy Foundation.
People also share their stories. For
example, Danny was not a candidate for surgery, but he does have a vagus nerve stimulator, which he says is like a pace- maker for the brain. It helped him reduce the amount of medication he takes. Overall, he wants people to learn
about and understand epilepsy the same way they do other conditions such as breast cancer. “I realized no one really talks about
epilepsy and that I could make a change in the community by doing what I’m doing.”
March - JULY 2017 17
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