Senior Obama Strategist David Axelrod and Wife Susan to be Honored for Their Decade-Long...

Senior Obama Strategist David Axelrod and Wife Susan to be Honored for Their
Decade-Long Commitment to Epilepsy Research at NYC Benefit
ABC's George Stephanopoulos to be Guest Speaker; PARADE Magazine Publisher
Randy Siegel to Emcee May 13 Event, Sponsored by PARADE

NEW YORK, March 19 /PRNewswire/ -- David Axelrod -- one of America's
leading political strategists and senior adviser to Senator Barack Obama --
and his wife, Susan, will be honored for their decade of leadership and
commitment to epilepsy research at the First Annual New York City Benefit for
CURE (Citizens United for Research in Epilepsy). George Stephanopoulos, Chief
Washington Correspondent for ABC News and anchor of "This Week with George
Stephanopoulos," will be the guest speaker at the May 13 event. PARADE
Publisher Randy Siegel will emcee.
The Axelrod's commitment to curing epilepsy is deeply personal. Their
daughter Lauren, now 26, has suffered irreversible brain damage as a result of
the disease. She began experiencing life-threatening seizures when she was
just seven months old.
In 1998, Susan, unwilling to sit back and accept the devastating effects
that continued uncontrollable seizures had on their daughter's life, joined
forces with two other mothers of children with epilepsy. Together they formed
Citizens United for Research in Epilepsy and spearheaded the search for a
cure. Since then, CURE has raised $9 million, funded 70 cutting-edge research
grants, sponsored scientific conferences and helped change the national
dialogue 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-profile
help in providing a national voice for those with epilepsy, like his daughter.
"David and Susan have done outstanding work in bringing awareness to this
devastating disease," says Siegel, whose own daughter, Rebecca, suffers from
epilepsy. "We celebrate their efforts and hope for a cure. That can only
happen through continued fundraising and research."
CURE fundraisers and speakers have included Meet the Press host Tim
Russert, U.S. Representative Rahm Emanuel, Senator Barack Obama, Senator John
Edwards, Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, and former President Bill Clinton.
About Epilepsy
Epilepsy affects more than 3 million Americans of all ages-more than
Multiple Sclerosis, Cerebral Palsy, Muscular Dystrophy, and Parkinson's
disease combined-and affects more than 50 million people worldwide. In the
U.S., nearly 500 new cases of epilepsy are diagnosed each day. Epilepsy can
develop at any age and can be a result of genetics, stroke, head injury, and
many other factors. In more than 30 percent of patients, seizures cannot be
controlled with treatment. And in two-thirds of patients diagnosed with
epilepsy, the cause is unknown. Tens of thousands Americans die annually of
this disease.
Visit CURE's Web site at www.CUREepilepsy.org for facts about epilepsy,
personal stories, research funding, grants and special events.
SOURCE

Christie Emden of PARADE, +1-212-450-7049, or Michelle Marciniak of CURE,
+1-312-255-1801