Brigid Baffico
(With Husband Jeff and Son Logan)
Purple Day Ambassador Chicago
AKF Director of Epilepsy Education
Shortly after the birth of her son Logan, Brigid was told by her doctors that she might no longer have epilepsy. When she learned that wasn’t true, she realized that instead of being disappointed, she felt the need to stop turning her back on her epilepsy. She wanted to embrace it and talk about it. So, forcing herself to think about her life with epilepsy, Brigid decided to turn her focus on what would make a difference in the lives of kids with epilepsy. She decided to bring a positive epilepsy education program to her community. She wanted to teach classrooms about epilepsy, to clear up the many misconceptions that still remain and find strength in her new goals. Not only did she adopt her new mission, but she found the perfect partner in AKF. “It was a match made in heaven,” Brigid shared. “I felt that their positive attitude and strength of purpose were a perfect fit for what I was trying to accomplish.”
That was several years ago, and today Brigid continues to plant the seeds of epilepsy awareness by speaking to the 6th and 7th graders of La Grange and La Grange Park, IL, through the Health and Science programs in their local junior high schools. Students learned all about epilepsy causes and treatments, awareness of this condition, her own personal story, and about acceptance and uniting for Purple Day this year!
A few years ago, Brigid held an epilepsy awareness poster contest that would launch her Purple Day events. St. Francis Xavier School won that contest. Their poster was entitled, “Planting the Seeds of Epilepsy Awareness.”
The school continues to participate every year by inviting Brigid to speak to the classrooms. Their awareness program now includes a service project. One year, keeping flowers in their theme, the children held, “The Purple Flower Lollipop Fundraiser,” raising $125.00 to help AKF continue their important work. The purple lollipops were centered in a paper flower that read, “We are planting the seeds of epilepsy awareness,” and included the AKF website.
For Purple Day 2013, Brigid held the 3rd Annual “Amp up Awareness” benefit concert on March 23rd in Brookfield, IL, which SOLD OUT! The event featured the live music of Jamie Fennessy, her brother, and the Mayse Brothers. It was a night dedicated to supporting the awareness of those living with epilepsy worldwide. Cover charges in the amount of $3,000 from the event went to the Anita Kaufmann Foundation.The Amp Up Awareness benefit is now in its 5th year (2016) and over those years they have raised almost $10,000 for the foundation!
One year, her niece Ella got into the act by writing a letter to her teacher and asking if she and her friends at St. Francis de Sales School could help raise epilepsy awareness. She wanted to make bracelets out of lavender and white rubber bands in honor of Purple Day. The school bought the looms and the girls and boys made 184 bracelets during their recess periods. A huge supporter of her Aunt Brigid, third-grader Ella was also able to stand up in front of her class and talk about epilepsy. And, she gave her friends a seizure first aid lesson, as well! Amazing!
Brigid continues to be an outspoken advocate for epilepsy awareness, with school trainings and events, contributing to the success of the Purple Day Walk for Epilepsy and the Brain Games, and the continuance of her, “Amp Up Awareness” event. In 2015 she led a blog charge to, “Step Up For Epilepsy,” challenging everyone to help her reach her goal of 2,015 miles of epilepsy awareness in 2015! Of course she and her pals did it!
When asked what has surprised her the most since she began her mission, Brigid said it was the general lack of knowledge about epilepsy and the immediate acceptance of the kids. “It seemed that most adults were living 30 years ago when it came to seizure first aid,” Brigid explained, “but the kids were so quick to latch on and embrace the need to know. They are so tolerant!”
Brigid is still nervous before she gets in front of a crowd to speak about epilepsy, and has figured that just isn’t going to go away. “But, I’ve learned that I am a lot stronger than I thought I was. And, I’ve been able to learn so much about my own condition. I want to re-purpose my mission to include an anti-bullying component. Our differences do not speak to who we are, but to who we can be if we embrace acceptance.
