As Marianna’s mom, watching your baby suffer a seizure at just 4 months old is something I will never forget. In an instant, our world changed. Since her diagnosis with Dravet Syndrome, our lives have been filled with hospital stays, emergency room visits, specialist appointments, sleepless nights, and the constant fear that comes with a severe form of epilepsy that currently has no cure.

When Marianna was only 9 months old, she became critically ill during a seizure episode and had to be intubated — one of the most terrifying moments of our lives. Part of what made that situation even more difficult was the lack of awareness and understanding surrounding Dravet Syndrome among some of the responding first responders and medical personnel at the time. While nothing can erase what happened, we are incredibly grateful that because of Marianna’s story, additional training and education have since been provided through our local emergency department and first responder teams so that hopefully no other child or family experiences the same situation.

Even with everything she faces, Marianna continues to amaze me every single day with her strength, resilience, and joy. In March alone, she suffered four seizures in less than 12 hours, a heartbreaking reminder of how relentless Dravet Syndrome can be. As her mom, there is nothing harder than watching your child fight a battle you cannot take away for them, but there is also incredible hope in awareness, advocacy, research, and community support.

That is why we created Marianna’s Mission Purple Drives Progress Team — to raise awareness, support research for better treatments and ultimately a cure, and help families navigating this unimaginable journey feel less alone. Every donation means more than words can express. It helps fuel progress, expand education, and bring hope to families like ours fighting for a brighter future for children living with Dravet Syndrome. Thank you for standing with Marianna and helping us drive progress forward.