🚨 Registration by February 28, 2025 required.
No on-site registration available
As the global sponsor, The Anita Kaufmann Foundation has teamed up with The Epilepsy Association of Central Florida again, to create and develop a comprehensive event for the epilepsy community. This event is specifically designed for patients and caregivers living with epilepsy as a shared opportunity to meet, engage, and be inspired to promote epilepsy awareness in their own community. In addition, patients and caregivers can explore the expo and learn more about services and supports available to them.
Disney Breakfast Buffet – Mickey waffles and all the fixings to kick-start our day!
Purple Costume Contest – Let your creativity shine for a chance to win CASH prizes!
Face Painting, Games, activities, and FUN for all ages!
Basketball Clinics – Sharpen your skills and learn new tricks!
Interactive Breakout Sessions – Engage, learn, and connect.
Meet Mickey Mouse & Minnie Mouse for fun photo opportunities!
Art Gallery – Experience the creativity and resilience of artists with epilepsy!
Exciting Giveaways – Don’t miss your chance to win amazing prizes!
Mike Simmel is known in basketball circles as “Mighty Mike.” Despite having had epilepsy for most of his life, Mike was a star player at Don Bosco Prep High School, the Hun School of Princeton, and Purchase College (The State University of New York, SUNY), and was a ball-boy for the New York Knicks. Mighty Mike was also the chief dribbler and halftime performer for the world-famous Harlem Wizards Professional Entertainment Basketball Team from 2001–2014. He has spoken and performed at over 450 summer high school and college basketball camps throughout the country, at the NCAA Final Four, and on stage at the world-famous Apollo Theater in Harlem, New York. Mighty Mike has been a principal performer at NCAA and NBA college halftime shows as well.
In 2005, Simmel and his father co-founded the nonprofit Bounce Out the Stigma Project, where he is currently the CEO and program director, running basketball camps and clinics for special needs children as well as performing at school assemblies. The project was started because, at age sixteen, Mike was asked to leave an elite basketball camp after having an epileptic seizure. Since its inception, Bounce Out the Stigma has gained national acclaim, including being named the Junior NBA Program of the Year in May 2019.
Simmel has garnered many individual accolades, including commendations and citations in Philadelphia and New Jersey for his work with the special needs’ population. Mike was honored as one of the Ten Outstanding Young Americans, with the esteemed TOYA Award, by the US Junior Chamber of Commerce and was named a Kentucky Colonel by the Governor of Kentucky. In addition, he was honored by the New York Yankees, Philadelphia 76ers, and New York Knicks on special Disability Awareness Nights in front of capacity crowds. In 2024, Mighty Mike Simmel was named the Jr. Knicks Coach of the Year.
Mike also co-authored the semi-autobiographical Mighty Mike Bounces Back published in 2012. And in March 2025, Simmel’s newest work The Bounce Out the Stigma Buddies: Never Give Up! was released. Simmel has appeared on ABC, CBS, FOX, and NBC news affiliates, and on NBA TV, as well as being featured in USA Today for his work in the disability community. For more information on “Mighty” Mike Simmel and the Bounce Out the Stigma Project, please log onto bounceoutthestigma.org or follow on Instagram and Facebook.
Merri Hackbarth brings over 16 years of experience in training service dogs to her role as Board President at Domesti-PUPS. As a dedicated trainer, she specializes in seizure response and alert dogs, helping individuals and families understand the transformative impact these service animals can have. In her presentation, Merri will share valuable insights into the capabilities of seizure response dogs and guide attendees in determining whether this essential tool is the right fit for them or their loved ones. Her passion for enhancing lives through the bond between humans and dogs is at the heart of her work.
Trey obtained his Doctor of Pharmacy at UNC Chapel Hill and an additional masters in pharmaceutical science at UNC Chapel Hill. His professional career began as an outpatient pharmacist in UNC’s neurosciences hospital. He transitioned to work as an inpatient pharmacist at a neuropsychiatric hospital in Butner, NC. After a decade working on teaching teams in neuropsychopharmacology, Trey transitioned to a Medical Science Liaison position with Teva pharmaceuticals. As a person with epilepsy, Trey has now has transitioned to a more personally meaningful MSL role at Jazz Pharmaceuticals supporting their epilepsy and movement disorders team
Dr. Shelly Wang is a pediatric neurosurgeon and Medical Director of Pediatric Epilepsy Surgery at AdventHealth for Children (Orlando, Florida). She is also an Associate Professor at the University of Central Florida College of Medicine. She earned her medical degree from the University of Toronto Faculty of Medicine in Canada, followed by a residency in neurosurgery at the same institution. Dr. Wang then pursued a fellowship in pediatric neurosurgery at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital. She also completed a Master of Public Health at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health in Boston, Massachusetts. Epilepsy surgery is an area of Dr. Wang’s academic passion and clinical expertise; she has authored over 70 peer-reviewed publications, and her research has been featured in various international conferences. She finds great fulfillment in building lasting relationships with her patients while providing them with comprehensive care in a multidisciplinary setting.
Dr. Wang is board certified in pediatric neurosurgery through the American Board of Pediatric Neurological Surgery (ABPNS). In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her family, playing the piano, and traveling.
Sophia Seeger founded and became President of a non-profit at 19 years old. She is a public speaker, advocate and now a published author. Diagnosed with absence seizures at age 4, she found inspiration in the companionship of her therapy dog, Milo. This led her to create Milo&Me, a 501(C)(3) non-profit. They host a virtual support group for teens with epilepsy, and a care package program to uplift epilepsy patients in need. Milo&Me also provides community initiatives about epilepsy in their area. Her work has been recognized by the Epilepsy Foundation of CT and the National Epilepsy Foundation, as well as local officials.
Hi, I’m Sofia Quintana (or Sofi)!
I’m 18 years old, and I was diagnosed with focal epilepsy in third grade. Since then, my journey has been anything but easy—I’ve had to deal with stigma, transferring high schools due to mistreatment, and, of course, the challenge of growing up different as a teenager. But instead of letting those struggles define me, I’ve used them to fuel my passion for advocacy.
I created Project T.E.E.N. (Teens Experiencing Epilepsy Now) to bring comfort to teenagers like me who have to spend days in the hospital for video EEGs. Through this initiative, I provide self-care items that help make their hospital stay a little more bearable. My advocacy has also led me to Tallahassee three times, where I fought for HB 173 (Care of Students with Epilepsy Act) and increased funding for Epilepsy Alliance Florida. Along the way, I’ve been honored with the Silver Knight Honorable Mention, Univision’s Orgullo de Nuestra Juventud Award for academics and service, and the Clayton Feig Award for youth advocacy from Epilepsy Alliance Florida.
Now, I’m majoring in Public Policy at Florida International University (FIU) with hopes of becoming a lobbyist, focusing on advocacy for neurological conditions like epilepsy. I’ll also be traveling to Washington, D.C. for a Population Health seminar with my school. In the future, I hope to release a book based on my blogs, continuing to share my story and help others in the epilepsy community.
My journey hasn’t been easy, but it has shaped who I am today—and I’m just getting started
To purchase specially priced Walt Disney World® Meeting/Convention Theme Park tickets, CLICK HERE or call 407-566-5600 and provide group code G0845876.
To enter a park, both a park reservation and valid ticket on the same day are required. To make park reservations, you will need to sign-in to an existing Disney® Account or create a new one and link each ticket. Park reservations are subject to availability – please check the Park Availability Calendar. For details on making a park reservation, please visit Disney Park Pass Experience Updates.
Whether it’s your first visit or your 100th, we recommend reviewing the Walt Disney World® Resort Experience Updates.
You can book a discounted hotel at the DoubleTree Suites by Hilton Orlando - Disney Springs™ Area online or by calling our reservations department at 1-800-340-2494, and referencing the code: EAE. Must be booked by February 15, 2025 to receive discounted price.
