Emily Donoghue shortlisted for Young Epilepsy Award

The team at Living Well With Epilepsy is thrilled to announce that Emily Donoghue, who writes Emily’s Perspective has been shortlisted for an Inspirational Shining Star Champion Award. This is one of the Young Epilepsy Champion Awards honoring those people, groups or organizations who have gone above and beyond, overcome challenges or supported those with epilepsy.

The Inspirational Champion Award celebrates the achievements of a person living with epilepsy, between the ages of 20 and 25, who is a true inspiration to everyone around them. Emily reached out the other day to let me know that she had been shortlisted and I was so thrilled for her that I wanted to share our conversation with you.

Emily: I have been shortlisted for the Inspirational Shining Star Champion Award! I just want to thank you so much for your continued support. Before I started writing for Living Well With Epilepsy I was so withdrawn, but now when I write, I feel like I am achieving something, and even if I help just one individual with my work then it is definitely something to keep up. I love what I do and without Living Well, I would never have continued with my work and I would never have achieved what I have today.

Jessica: Yahoo!!!!!!! I’m so happy you were shortlisted. You offer the same inspiration for me! Without you, the site could not have grown as it has. You deserve the award. I am thrilled for you.

Emily: Your words of wisdom and encouragement in each email mean a lot to me, so thank you for knowing exactly when to tell me what I want to hear, when I need to hear it the most.

Jessica: You do the same for me. You are always right there with an encouraging note when I need it the most.

If you missed any of Emily’s posts, you can find them all here. Keep your fingers crossed for Em, she certainly deserves the award!

If Emily’s words have inspired you please comment below. I’d love Em to hear from you.

Jessica K. Smith Founder and CEO; Executive Director

Jessica Keenan Smith is a patient advocate and epilepsy community leader with more than 15 years of experience. As Founder and CEO of Living Well With Epilepsy and Executive Director of ASENT she bridges the gap between the scientific and patient communities, with a particular focus on the needs of the epilepsies. Jessica Keenan Smith is Founder and CEO of Living Well With Epilepsy, an award winning online resource for people affected by epilepsy to share stories and access in-depth information on the disease. Since 2009, Living Well With Epilepsy (https://livingwellwithepilepsy.com) has been featured in Forbes, Wired, NBC, NPR and the cover story of Epilepsy Advocate Magazine and has partnered with companies such as UCB, Lundbeck, Sunovion, Eisai, and more. Ms. Smith is also the Executive Director of the American Society for Experimental Neurotherapeutics (ASENT) (https://asent.org), an organization that brings together leaders from industry, academia, government and advocacy who are engaged in bringing drugs and devices to market across all neurologic disease states. In this role she is responsible for leading a successful scientific journal and annual scientific conference with speakers from all over the world.

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