On Friday, September 26, two members of our team, Brittany Scheid, PhD (Clinical Field Engineer), and Tina Yerges (Director, Business and Finance), joined supporters of the Danny Did Foundation at Theater on the Lake in Chicago for the 16th Annual Evening of Heart & Hugs benefit. We were honored to attend as a Bronze Sponsor, connect with families and partners, and celebrate a community working to prevent deaths caused by seizures and SUDEP (Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy).
About Danny Did and the Hearts & Hugs Benefit
Founded in 2010 by Mike and Mariann Stanton in memory of their son, Danny, the Danny Did Foundation (DDF) advances public awareness of SUDEP, strengthens disclosure and education between clinicians and families, and helps mainstream seizure detection and alerting technologies that can add safety and enable earlier intervention. Their vision supports a reality in which providers proactively discuss seizure-related risks and families have access to tools that can help keep their loved ones safe. To date, the Danny Did Foundation has supported families across all 50 states and 18 countries, yet, as the organization emphasizes, the unmet need remains significant.
Hearts & Hugs: A Night of Stories, Science, and Support
The benefit began with time to connect over small plates, conversations with old friends and new, and sunset views of Lake Michigan and the Chicago skyline. Guests browsed an impressive silent auction, where a Taylor Swift–signed guitar drew spirited bids and ultimately sold for over $3,500, before moving into the theater for the main program.
Set to the warm backdrop of a woodwind quartet, followed later by an energetic DJ and saxophone set, the program blended heartfelt messages with urgency. We heard family impact stories and saw on-screen messages from kids and parents, such as “thank you for the nighttime confidence,” which brought our industry’s shared mission into sharp focus. Slides underscored the Danny Did Foundation’s purpose with lines like, “When others can’t, Danny can.” The room responded in kind; The live auction was lively, generous, and deeply personal. We could see that guests contributed with their hearts to contribute as much as possible to the foundation.
One Statistic Resonated Throughout the Night
1 in 26 people in the U.S. will develop epilepsy over their lifetime (excluding those who are born with epilepsy). The foundation translated that number into action with a creative “1 in 26” raffle, a $126 entry that fueled another surge of support before the evening concluded. It was a reminder that awareness, honesty, and practical tools, combined with a community that shows up, can move the needle for families today.
From Our Team: Moments That Stayed with Us
Special thanks to Tom Stanton, President of the Danny Did Foundation, for the meaningful conversations and for the ongoing advocacy DDF brings to SUDEP awareness and technology access. A favorite moment captured in photos shows Tom with Brittany and Tina in front of the stage screen reading, “I have found tremendous peace of mind,” which felt like a headline for the night.
Our CEO, Kent Leyde, and CSO, Doug Sheffield, recently had the pleasure of hosting Tom on Episode 2 of our Seizure Diaries podcast, where they discussed the foundation’s mission and the urgent need for greater SUDEP awareness. Listen to the episode here.
A Shared Mission
Cadence Neuroscience exists to help fill an unmet need in epilepsy care by advancing neuromodulation and bringing hope to patients and families. Events like Heart & Hugs reflect the same values that guide our work: empathy, curiosity, innovation, and patient-centered design. We’re a team of experts who get it and strive for real progress for patients and families.
Gratitude and the Road Ahead
Our team left the evening encouraged by how much is possible when a community rallies around families: honest conversations about SUDEP, education that empowers, technologies that add peace of mind, and generosity that turns into life-changing resources.
To the Danny Did Foundation: thank you for meeting families where they are and for working toward a future where seizure-related deaths are prevented. To the families we met: your courage fuels our own. And to our partners and colleagues across the epilepsy ecosystem: let’s keep asking “what if?” and “why not?” and keep building solutions together.
Learn more about the Danny Did Foundation and how you can support their mission at dannydid.org. To explore our purpose and progress, visit cadenceneuro.com.
Cadence Neuroscience is proving that it’s possible to be a science-driven, technology-forward company without losing sight of the people at the center of it all. By staying true to its mission and prioritizing compassion, collaboration, and curiosity, Cadence is redefining what a modern medtech company can be—and what it must be for patients who need it most.
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