Jason's Story

From the time he was 15 years old, Jason Snelling, currently a running back for the Atlanta Falcons, experienced a mysterious ailment that caused seizures, dizziness, and migraines. Perhaps worst of all, it almost cost him his football career.

Five years later, he was diagnosed with epilepsy, an often misunderstood neurological disorder that affects approximately 2.5 million Americans. Contributing to the difficulty in diagnosing (and treating) epilepsy is the fact that it’s not a “disease” in and of itself, but rather a condition where abnormal electrical activity in the brain causes an involuntary change in body movement, awareness, sensation, or behavior. The only visible result is a seizure, although there are many types and varying severities of seizures.

Clearly as unafraid of a challenge off the field as on it, Snelling recently decided to speak out about his ongoing battle with epilepsy. He participated in the National Walk for Epilepsy on March 28 in Washington, D.C., and created a walk team called “Rush to Support Epilepsy,” in the hopes of raising awareness about the condition and reducing the stigma sometimes associated with it.