A local family has started a national effort to help find a cure for epilepsy. It’s called Livy’s Hope For A Cure.
Livy and Hailey Scheinman are both 9 years old. They are best friends, sisters and twins. There is one big difference between them: Livy was born with epilepsy.
“The day Livy was born was the first day she had her first seizure," said Allison Scheinman, Livy’s mother. "It was within three hours of her birth and she has been battling it for 9 years now.”
Epilepsy is a neurological disorder in which the nerve cell activity in the brain is disturbed, causing seizures. Livy has seizures daily. She cannot speak or walk.
“It makes me feel bad because I don’t want Livy having seizures, because I know Livy can't control them," said Hailey Scheinman, Livy’s sister. "And I say to myself why does Livy have to have seizures?”
There is no cure for epilepsy so Hailey, along with the rest of her family started the Livy’s Hope For A Cure Campaign. This weekend people across the country set up lemonade stands to raise money, including one in Clearwater.
With every glass of refreshing lemonade, or sweet treat sold, money is going to the Epilepsy Foundation for research for a cure.
“There are so many people out there, in fact 65 million people have epilepsy, so I really want to help all those people,” said Hailey.
Livy’s parents hope $1 million will be raised for research from the lemonade stands all over the country.