A MESSAGE FROM Maggie's Fundraiser for CURE Epilepsy
I was diagnosed with juvenile myoclonic epilepsy at 19, at the end of my freshman year of college. At the time, I was a Division I swimmer recovering from shoulder surgery and expecting a summer back in the pool and vacation with friends. Instead, I spent it in doctors’ offices undergoing testing. A voicemail telling me my EEG showed abnormal brain activity is a moment I’ll never forget.
Epilepsy quickly became part of my reality, bringing medication adjustments, ER visits, and hospitalizations that created real obstacles in both my athletic and academic career. During one hospitalization, a physician introduced me as “a former swimmer,” and my mum corrected her immediately, because epilepsy changed my diagnosis, not my identity.
Now, as my swimming career has ended and my nursing school journey is coming to a close, I’ve set a new goal: running my first marathon. I’m running the 2026 Chicago Marathon with Team CURE Epilepsy to support the research that people like me depend on. Please consider donating to help fund breakthrough epilepsy research, raise awareness, and move us closer to a cure. I am also going to be working in an Epilepsy Monitoring Unit this fall at Duke University Hospital, caring for many adults and children with epilepsy!
Every contribution makes a meaningful difference, and I’m so grateful for your support. Please click on the link below and share with your friends and family:)
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