Chicago Hamilton star challenges social media to take #MyShotAtEpilepsy

November is Epilepsy Awareness Month, and the University of Chicago Medicine, Citizens United for Research in Epilepsy (CURE) and the Epilepsy Foundation are working to fund epilepsy research with the My Shot At Epilepsy challenge. Created by Miguel and Kelly Cervantes, the project was inspired by their daughter Adelaide, who suffers from epilepsy. Miguel, the star of Chicago’s production of Hamilton, was in auditions for the role when she had her first epileptic seizure. Adelaide is now treated at Comer Children’s Hospital.

“As we realized the struggles we were going to have with my daughter and her epilepsy, we decided that we needed to use this Hamilton outlet, this pedestal I get to stand on, and do some good with it,” Cervantes recalled.

The My Shot At Epilepsy challenge asks people to take a photo of themselves in their best “My Shot” pose, imitating the iconic moment from the musical. From there, supporters can make a donation to the campaign, and share their image on social media- challenging three friends to do the same within 24 hours and tagging it with #MyShotAtEpilepsy.

Charles Marcuccilli, MD, PhD, Associate Professor of Pediatrics in Pediatric Neurology, and part of Adelaide’s physician team at Comer Children’s was present at an event at UChicago Medicine to promote the fundraiser with Miguel Cervantes.

“[This campaign] makes me feel wonderful. But we also have a long way to go. I’ll think I can relax totally when we can cure all of them,” he said.

Funds raised for this campaign will be split between CURE and the Epilepsy Foundation and used to further epilepsy research towards a cure.