Epilepsy Foundation of Michigan raises more than $150K at annual event

The Epilepsy Foundation of Michigan is celebrating this week after a successful fundraiser Friday night.

The 16th annual Toasting Hope Tasting Event was held on September 27, 2024 at the Townsend Hotel in Birmingham.

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I was honored to serve as emcee! Nearly 275 people came out for the event — along with donors online — and they raised more than $152,000.

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The money supports programs like seizure first aid training, Camp Discovery, and other life-changing initiatives.

At the event Friday, Andrea Schotthoefer — the new president of the Epilepsy Foundation of Michigan — continued the annual tradition of raising a glass to all the epilepsy warriors.

"To those living with epilepsy today, your strength and resilience inspire us beyond words. You are the heart of this mission, and we stand with you. To those who will face a diagnosis tomorrow, know that you will never walk this journey alone—you will be met with open arms by a community ready to lift you up. And to those we've lost to epilepsy, your memory fuels our determination, driving us forward with an unshakable resolve to never stop fighting until epilepsy is no longer a barrier to anyone’s life," Schotthoefer said.

Nearly 109,000 individuals are living with epilepsy here in Michigan.

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The foundation reports one in 26 people will develop epilepsy in their lifetime, and 1 in 10 will experience a seizure at some point in their life.

If you would like to find out more about epilepsy and the resources available here in Michigan, visit www.epilepsymichigan.org .

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