Public Service Announcement

I was involved a while back in presenting my "story" to a group called Women in Film. I think I wrote a post about it somewhere, but I just don't remember. What happened is that the Epilepsy Foundation of Greater Los Angeles, of which I serve on the board, won a free public service announcement from this group of incredible female filmmakers. The PSA will air nationally during November, which is National Epilepsy Month, so please be on the look-out for it if you watch television. Hopefully, I'll be able to post it here on the blog as well.

The Epilepsy Foundation of America is having a big shindig this weekend in Long Beach, and as their hosts, our affiliate used the occasion to "launch" the now-completed PSA.

Wow.

It's the most amazing, intense commercial I think I've ever seen. The woman who made it, Katie Davison, introduced it and thanked yours truly for my story, for making her cry and for inspiring her. Sophie and I were at the back of the room, and I cried a little at being thanked. I cried a little more when I watched the rough cut of the advertisement and then a little more when everyone in the crowd stood up and applauded Katie and all the people who worked on it.

During all the hoopla, Sophie had a really big seizure. No one really noticed (and I wanted it that way) but I was tempted for a second to shout out Everyone turn around and look! THIS! This is what it is. You don't need a PSA because you can see this!


But I didn't. I took Sophie and sort of slid out of the room. We got on the highway a few minutes later and sped back toward LA. I cried a lot more, then.