SUDEP Institute Director Sally Schaeffer shares why SUDEP is important to talk about and how the SUDEP Institute can help make a difference.

Sadly, sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP) has been making a lot of headlines lately. And while the public is just learning more about it, the Epilepsy Foundation’s SUDEP Institute has been aggressively seeking awareness of this loss from epilepsy since its establishment in 2013. 

Mortality in epilepsy such as SUDEP is difficult to speak about, especially without a resolve on how to prevent it. But each year 1 out of 1,000 adults and children with epilepsy die from SUDEP. For people with poorly controlled seizures, the risk of SUDEP is much higher — 1 out of 150 each year.