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Annual Report 2020
Letter From Sindi
From the beginning of this journey, when I first dreamed of the Epilepsy Foundation Central & South Texas, my promise to the community has always been the same – that we would be there for those who had nowhere else to turn.
In 2020, we encountered unimaginable challenges. With your generous and continued support, not only did we make it through 2020 (yay!), our programs and services thrived! We had one of our BEST years ever!
This past year, we served 16,898 people with epilepsy and provided 115,729 epilepsy services throughout our 79-county service area. We persevered and consistently delivered the best care to our patients and community during these times of great uncertainty.
Although the pandemic delayed and even canceled many events in 2020, we were so very thankful for the outpouring of support for our first ever virtual Walks to END EPILEPSY. There were many hiccups and bumps along the way, but 2,509 of our supporters registered, fundraised, and walked to END EPILEPSY! Through all of our virtual events, walks, fundraising appeals, and grants, you helped us raise more than $1,467,502 to support those with epilepsy. What a terrific year!
Our incredible Board of Directors, my team, and I cannot express how grateful we are for your unwavering support of EFCST and the more than 155,000 people living with epilepsy in Central and South Texas. Our passion and drive will not waiver in 2021. We will relentlessly strive to support all who have nowhere else to turn.
Sindi Rosales, Founder & CEO
Our Mission
The mission of the Epilepsy Foundation is to lead the fight to overcome the challenges of living with epilepsy and to accelerate therapies to stop seizures, find cures, and save lives.
Your continued support helps us realize our mission every day. It’s our volunteers, donors, and supporters who give us the opportunity to sustain our essential programs and services for our community.
In 2021, our goal is to ensure the success of our programs and services through more monthly donors than ever before. For just $26 a month, less than $1 a day, you can continually impact the lives of people with epilepsy in our community. Visit efcst.org/give to learn all the ways you can make an impact.
By The Numbers
16,898
people served in 2020
115,729
services provided in 2020
$1,467,502
dedicated to our mission
Calls for Assistance Answered
Over the past decade, we’ve worked to answer more calls for help, provide services to more patients, and build a stronger, more supportive community for the people living with epilepsy in Central and South Texas.
As the need in our community has grown, so have we, by bringing in more staff, introducing new programs and services, and advocating for access to better, innovative care.
Case Management Calls Answered
Health Services
Serving Patients in 2020
In 2020, our clinical team adapted to continue providing unparalleled care to our patients from our home offices. With the help of our supporters, our dedicated staff members, and our partner neurologists, our clinical team served 1,849 patients.
Health Services in 2020 vs 2010
Peace of Mind
During a time of uncertainty, our clinic team ensured our patients did not have to worry about their medications or meeting with their neurologist. Instead, we adopted a telehealth system to keep our patients informed, connected and cared for. Thank you to everyone who helped us continue providing these essential health services during the pandemic.
“This past year, I’m proud to say that, despite all the obstacles my team and I encountered, we continued serving the needs of our community and helping those struggling with epilepsy.”
Christine Calderon,
Clinical Services Manager
Anupama Alareddy, MD
Deborah E. Briggs, MD
Kameel Karkar, MD
Octavian Lie, MD, Ph.D.
Lola Morgan, MD
Blake B. O’Lavin, MD
Angie Payne, NP
C. Akos Szabo, MD
Azreena Thomas, MD, FAES
Elizabeth Wedberg Sivam, NP
Programs
Staying Connected
When we couldn’t be together in-person, our program team ensured we were still connected to each other. With brand new virtual programs and support groups, our program staff reassured those in our community that we are still here.
In 2020, we introduced a new self-management program, Project Uplift, to teach mindfulness skills to deal with anxiety, depression, and the general struggles of living with epilepsy. Similarly, we adapted to having our support group virtually twice a week, and introduced Mindfulness Mondays as a way to keep connected and focused during the pandemic.
After going virtual, our program staff continued offering support to our community. With 855 support group attendees, 246 self-management sessions, and 148 mental health counseling sessions, we made sure that our patients were cared for, body and mind.
“Virtual” Camp
Everyone was heartbroken when we couldn’t meet for the 10th Annual Camp Brainstorm, but that did not stop us from having fun. Instead, we held our very first Virtual Camp Brainstorm, full of online activities to connect our campers safely from their own homes. Despite being apart, we wanted to remind our campers that they are not alone.
Education & Training
Educating a Community
We are spreading awareness and building a more supportive community in Central and South Texas through education and training. Since the introduction of Sam’s Law, more school personnel, including school nurses, have been trained in seizure first aid and recognition, ensuring the safety of hundreds of thousands of Texas students.
Ten times more school personnel were trained in 2020 than there were a decade ago, thanks to Sam’s Law. The option of online training has made Seizure First Aid training more accessible to a wider audience.
Thank you to Samantha Watkins for being the inspiration behind Sam’s Law, and to Sam’s family who shared her story with our community. Sam’s story impassioned us, and many others, to take action and ensure the safety of all Texas public school students.
Advocacy
Advocating for the Future
Advocacy is an essential part of what we do. Through advocacy, we are ensuring access to better care and education for the epilepsy community in Central and South Texas. We answer calls to assist with issues on discrimination, disability rights at school and with employers, and much more. This year, we answered 606 advocacy requests from our community.
Setting the Standard
Also in 2020, the Texas Essential Knowledge & Skills (TEKS) made revisions to include epilepsy awareness and first aid into the curriculum starting from 2nd grade through high school. That means, at the beginning of the 2022-2023 school year, 4 million students will be learning about epilepsy. Thanks to Shari Dudo, Claudia Crunelle and her daughter Gabriella for taking charge on this amazing feat.
Now, Texas is the only state in the US where epilepsy education is mandated as a part of the curriculum, ensuring the safety of Texas students and raising awareness for childhood epilepsy. Watch Mary and Vanessa tell their epilepsy story to learn about why advocacy in schools is essential for students with epilepsy
Fundraising
Essential Fundraising
Our fundraising events are always the highlight of everyone’s year! Not only do our events help fund the life-changing programs and services we provide, but they serve as a way to bring people together to share stories, learn more about epilepsy, and connect with others affected by epilepsy.
This year , supporters like you raised...
Cheers for a Cause
$69,722
Stephanie Nichols’ Annual Car Show
$27,404
Old Republic Title Annual Chili Cook Off
$12,070
Walks to END EPILEPSY
$143,624
The Power of Crowdfunding
Online giving days are a testament to the power of crowdfunding. This year, not only did you fund seizure first aid training for Giving Tuesday and medical services for the Big Give, you also answered our call for emergency relief during the pandemic.
Social Media
A New Kind of Together
Social media has the amazing ability to bring us together, even if we’re physically apart. During 2020, social media played a huge role in bringing together people in our community to connect with each other, learn about epilepsy, and support our cause.
In 2020, we held our very first virtual events with our Walks to END EPILEPSY. The quintessence of our events is the connections we form with people whose lives are touched by epilepsy. We were disappointed that we couldn’t be together physically this year, but social media helped us replicate that connection through live videos, shared photos, and online interaction.
Thank You
Corporate Board of Directors
Christine Gorddard, President
Jeffrey Jung, Vice President
Robyn Lewis, CPA, Treasurer
Tracy Biltz, Secretary
Blake Anderson
Sara “Lizzy” Aranibar
Francesca Barajas
Patrice Calomeni
Michael Girouard
Janine Hornbeak
Travis Meyer
Carl “Tex” Morgan
Jane Morrison
Joe S. Ochoa III
Alison Packard, J.D.
Marc Salvato
Traci A. Smith
Scott Verstuyft
Harry Wright Jr.
Central Texas Board of Directors
Traci A. Smith, President
Marc Salvato, Vice President
Robyn Lewis, CPA, Treasurer
Leanna M. Dando, Secretary
John Avery
Christina Burke
Jennifer Cahill
Henry P. Catoire III
Todd Cione
Darlene M. Corley
Debbie Gomez
Katie Graham
Laurel Griffin
Gina B. Helsel
Miriam M. Jackson, NP
Susan P. Kimball
Shila R. Leos
Joe E. Lopez
Wesley T. Price
Vijay Ram
Amber Ross
Jeffrey B. Titus, PhD
Professional Advisory Board
C. Akos Szabo, MD, Board Chair
Sheldon Gross, MD, Vice Chair
Sidney Atkinson, MD, Secretary
Colleen Barthol, PharmD
Jose Cavazos, MD, PhD
David Gonzales, PhD, ABPP
Erica Gunderson, RN, BSN
Jenny Hsieh, PhD
Daniel Hyun, MD
Janice Jordan, RN
Kameel Karkar, MD
Sreekanth Koneru, MD
Linda Leary, MD
Octavian Lie, MD
Marina Martinez
Sylvia Martinez, REEGT
Lola Morgan, MD
Adetoun Musa, MD
Sahar Nassiri, PA
Yu-Tze Ng, MD
Alex Papanastassiou, MD
Samiya Rashid, MD
Charlotte Rhodes, MHA
Mark Shapiro, PhD
Jennifer Sharron, MD
Susan Sonenberg, PA
Azreena Thomas, MD
Jeannine Thomas, PA
Florence Wall, PA
Wendy Wu, MD
Gennine Yahya, RN
Thank you to everyone who made 2020 truly special!
Sami Aboumatar, MD
Sylvia “Chivis” Alanis
Susan T. Arnold, MD
BJ’s Restaurant
The Bolner Family
Burnwood ’68
Matt Brewington
Mary & Vanessa Castillo
Dave Clarke, MD
The Cox Family
Daniel Curry, MD
Freeman Dando
Carol Deline, MD
Michael R. Dobbs, MD, MHCM
Gwen & Chris Dunn
Hannah Dunn
Ronda Ebner
The English Family
Epilepsy Foundation of America
Alicia Esquivel
Stephen Ethridge
Veronica Flores
The Flowers Family
Golf Club of Texas
Frank G. Gilliam, MD, MPH
James Avery Artisan Jewelry
Jessica Jasso
Freddie Joseph, MD
Junior League of San Antonio
Kendra Scott Jewelry
Karen Keough, MD
Gayle Kinnally
Kelly Knupp, MD
La Tuna Grill
Kate Labiner, MD
The Martin Family
Betsy Milvo
Natural Bridge Caverns
Stephanie Nichols
The Nielson Family
Nancy Nussbaum, MD
Old Republic Title
The Packard Law Firm
Dustin J. Paul, DO
Freedom F. Perkins, MD
M. Scott Perry, MD
Kim Richards
Jessica Rosales
Ihsan Salloum, MD
San Antonio Express-News
Score! Game Day Bags
Shannon Serrurier
Arlene Siller
Deepa Sirsi, MD
Karen Skjei, MD
The Smith Family
O. Carter Snead III, MD
Elaine Seto, MD
Donna Stahlhut & the EFTX Team
Lorren Tankersley
Team YotaVille San Antonio
Drew Thodeson, MD
Thompson Printing
Christine Tran, MD
Elizabeth Tyler-Kabara, MD, PhD
Marcos Valdez, MD
Amy Vela
Khushboo Verma, MD
Gretchen VonAllmen, MD
James W. Wheless, MD
Robin Whitehall, MD
Donors of $500 and above
Aerojet Center LLC
Alamo Kiwanis Club Charities
Nikki & Ryan Anderson
Angell Plumbing, Inc.
Aquestive
Roberto J. & Patricia Aranibar
Aus-Tex Towing & Recovery
Austin Epilepsy Care Center
Austin Gardeners
Austin Telco
Jose “JT” Avalos
Thomas “TJ” Avalos
Baptist Health Foundation
San Antonio
Jeanne Beattie
Bexar County CARES Act
BioMarin
Michael & Mary Pat Bolner
Stephanie Bruno-Herndon
George & Gene’s Burton
Jimmie Caldwell
Jen Carroll
Henry Catoire
CHC Community Health Charities
City of San Antonio Lift Fund
Dalton & Pamela Chester
Child Neurology Consultants
of Austin
Children’s Health
Chlor-Serv, Inc.
Chuck Brown & Primera Partners
Community First Health Plans
Compassionate Cultivation
Kristy Covington
Patrick Cunningham
Leanna & Kyle Dando
Joshua Davis
Dell Children’s Medical Center
DHR Health
Elizabeth Dillingham
DOCUmation
Driscoll Health System
Eisai, Inc.
Epilepsy Foundation of America
Erika Knode Memorial Foundation
Nancy Espey
Margie Flowers
Frost Bank
Linda Geary
Liana Gonzales
Christine Gorddard
Gordon Hartman Family
Foundation
Jim & Katie Graham
Greater Houston Community
Foundation
Greenwich Biosciences
Larry D. Sr. & Cindy L. Hackney
Harvey E. Najim Charitable
Foundation
HEB Tournament of Champions
Terri Heffelfinger
Lee & Gina Helsel
HHSC Grant
Molly Jones
JPMC Foundation
Jeffrey Jung
KangaRoof
Kendra Scott
Karen & Le Keough
Kinney’s Commercial, Inc.
Kronkosky Charitable Foundation
LivaNova
Daniella Long
Maxwell, Locke, & Ritter LLP
Crystin McCormick
Deborah McNair
Betsy Milvo
Sally & Thom Monahan
Tex Morgan
Robert Murray
Natus Neuro
Neurelis, Inc.
Northside Lions Charitable
Foundation
Nyle Maxwell Chrysler
Amy Oehler
Blake & Elizabeth O’Lavin
Old Republic Title
PhRMA
James & Diana Phillips
Angela Pierce
Ronnie & Mary Beth Pinkerton
PMT Corporation
Pok-e-Jo’s Smokehouse, Inc.
Katie Post
Wesley Price
Professional Contract Services
Randy Walker & Co., P.C.
Amy Reinarz
Republic National Distributing
Larry & Laura Roberts
Robert Wood Johnson
Foundation
Sindi & Joe Rosales
Amber & Justin Ross
Patricia Ross
Round Rock Woman’s Club
Lauriann Samaniego
San Antonio Area Foundation
Hortense Santiago
John Santiago
SK Life Science
Silicon Laboratories, Inc.
Derek & Traci Smith
Sam L. & Alissa Spears
Stratus
Sunovion
Supernus Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Geddy Swager
Kim Schroeppel
SWBC Professional Employer
Services
Tasco Auto Color Corp.
Texas Youth Development
Corporation
The Children’s Hospital of
San Antonio
The Packard Law Firm
Drs. Azreena & John Thomas
TJ Turner
UCB, Inc.
Upsher-Smith Laboratories, Inc.
Utility Aviation
UT Health Houston
UT Health RGV
Valero Energy Foundation
Scott Verstuyft
Daniel Wallace
Monica Washington
Dana Williams
Sarah A. & Victor J. Williams
Zogenix, Inc.
