Tanisha and Bobby Graves awaken on September 2,2019.  This is a day that will play over and over in their minds forever.  Tanisha finds her son in bed and begins to adjust his pillow.  Marquis Devon Chapman did not move.  Tanisha rolls him over and her precious baby boy was lifeless.  Marquis passed away from S.U.D.E.P. (sudden unexpected death in epilepsy). 

Tanisha and Bobby had to do something, so they decided to get more involved with advocating for Marquis, those who fight epilepsy daily and the many that have lost their lives to S.U.D.E.P. / epilepsy.  In honor of their son Marquis, they have dedicated their lives to help fight for a cure for epilepsy. 

When The Trumpet Sounds was founded March 25, 2021.  It is time for parents, patients, medical staff and insurance companies to work on one accord.  Time to listen to one another and find a cure.  We need to close the gap and become effective communicators and listeners. 

As Marquis would say “I Pulled The Sun Out For You.”  Let’s keep Marquis dream alive and fight towards a day when there is a cure and no other parents, adults, children or caregivers will have to endure the pain that comes along with losing someone to epilepsy.  There is so much that comes along with epilepsy (disparities, stigma, S.U.D.E.P. and the lack of help for minorities) and we will shed light on the truth of it all. 

Epilepsy impacts more than 3.4 million people in the United States - per the CDC - and 65 million people worldwide.  One in 26 Americans will develop epilepsy.  Seizures can sometimes be fatal from a range of causes; more people die as a result of seizures than of fire and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) combined.  Thousands of U.S. deaths occur annually from S.U.D.E.P and estimated 50,000 deaths occur worldwide each year due to S.U.D.E.P., status epilepticus (prolonged seizures), and other seizure-related causes such as drowning and other accidents.  This is why we need your help.