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The Axelrod's commitment to curing epilepsy is deeply personal. Theirdaughter Lauren, now 26, has suffered irreversible brain damage as a result ofthe disease. She began experiencing life-threatening seizures when she wasjust seven months old.
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In 1998, Susan, unwilling to sit back and accept the devastating effectsthat continued uncontrollable seizures had on their daughter's life, joinedforces with two other mothers of children with epilepsy. Together they formedCitizens United for Research in Epilepsy and spearheaded the search for acure. Since then, CURE has raised $9 million, funded 70 cutting-edge researchgrants, sponsored scientific conferences and helped change the nationaldialogue on the disease.
David Axelrod has played an integral role in furthering CURE's mission,spreading the word to his colleagues in Washington and enlisting high-profilehelp in providing a national voice for those with epilepsy, like his daughter.
"David and Susan have done outstanding work in bringing awareness to thisdevastating disease," says Siegel, whose own daughter, Rebecca, suffers fromepilepsy. "We celebrate their efforts and hope for a cure. That can onlyhappen through continued fundraising and research."
CURE fundraisers and speakers have included Meet the Press host TimRussert, U.S. Representative Rahm Emanuel, Senator Barack Obama, Senator JohnEdwards, Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, and former President Bill Clinton.
About Epilepsy
Epilepsy affects more than 3 million Americans of all ages-more thanMultiple Sclerosis, Cerebral Palsy, Muscular Dystrophy, and Parkinson'sdisease combined-and affects more than 50 million people worldwide. In theU.S., nearly 500 new cases of epilepsy are diagnosed each day. Epilepsy candevelop at any age and can be a result of genetics, stroke, head injury, andmany other factors. In more than 30 percent of patients, seizures cannot becontrolled with treatment. And in two-thirds of patients diagnosed withepilepsy, the cause is unknown. Tens of thousands Americans die annually ofthis disease.
Visit CURE's Web site at www.CUREepilepsy.org for facts about epilepsy,personal stories, research funding, grants and special events.
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