From Desperation to Hope: The Founding and Future of CURE Epilepsy

This week on Seizing Life Susan Axelrod, CURE Epilepsy founder, and Barbara Kelly, the founding Research Chair, discuss the past, present, and future of the organization and epilepsy research.

In 1998, CURE (the organization now known as CURE Epilepsy) was founded by mothers of children with epilepsy who could no longer live with the status quo of epilepsy care. Desperate to help not only their own children, but also to create a better future for others living with epilepsy, these early advocates for epilepsy research changed the focus from “living well” with epilepsy to actively finding a cure for it. Susan Axelrod and Barbara Kelly were both there in the early years of CURE, gathering around a kitchen table to sow the seeds for the fledgling organization, attending Amercian Epilepsy Society (AES) meetings to rally physicians and researchers to their cause, assembling thought leaders in the epilepsy field to formulate the organization’s grant program, and creating grassroots fundraising efforts to increase support for vital research. The passion and determination of the parents, clinicians, scientists, and supporters in the early days of CURE led to the emergence of the organization as a boundary-pushing, innovative leader within the epilepsy community.

As CURE Epilepsy celebrates its 25th anniversary, Susan and Barbara join us to discuss the early years of CURE, their initial inspiration and vision for the organization, its impact on epilepsy research, and their hopes for the future of epilepsy treatments and cures.

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