Pediatric Epilepsy Surgery Alliance

11/26/2025

Thank you to our followers and supporters for helping us raise awareness about the life-saving nature of epilepsy surgery. In just a few weeks, we’ve had over 50,000 views of our posts and reels! The more families that know about surgery as a treatment option for their child’s drug-resistant seizures, the more lives that can be saved.

This season of gratitude, we are grateful for you.

To learn more about how epilepsy surgery saves lives, see the link in the first comment.

11/25/2025

Every sibling has a story. Brothers and sisters of kids with epilepsy surgery often carry questions, worries, and big feelings. Our Sibling Resources give families tools to help siblings process their experiences, find comfort, and know they are not alone.

“The sibling relationship is unique in that it lasts the longest of all human relationships.” Supporting Siblings on the Epilepsy Surgery Journey Growing up with a brother or sister who needs epilepsy surgery can be tough. These siblings face many emotional ups and downs, as well as added respon...

11/24/2025

This Epilepsy Awareness Month, we’re lifting up research that listens to families. If your child lives with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome, the LGS Research study wants to hear from you. All you have to do is answer a series of online surveys, done on your time, with a small gift card thank you. Your voice can help the next family facing an LGS diagnosis. Link in first comment.

11/21/2025

We're kicking off the season of giving this year by doing something a little bit different on Giving Tuesday. Thanks to the generosity of the Reece company, we’re excited to give back to you - our amazing community! As part of Reece's $100 for 1,000 Campaign, we’re thrilled to offer $100 Walmart gift cards to 25 families in need this season.

Whether it’s groceries, clothing, or household items, we hope these cards provide a little extra support and joy to your family during this special time of year.

Applicants must have a child who has has epilepsy surgery and reside in the U.S. See link for further details.

🔗 bit.ly/PESA2025Card

11/13/2025

Dr. Wes Phillips and Dr. Jason Hauptman gave a terrific presentation at the at Disneyland expo about how having drug-resistant seizures caused by a genetic epilepsy doesn’t mean surgery isn’t possible. There are many surgeries and devices that can help stop seizures or reduce the seizure burden.

In addition to being a neurosurgeon, Dr. Phillips also leads the Phillips Pediatric Research and Innovations in the Molecular Genetics of Epilepsy Lab at

And a fun fact - he also played football at Yale! Go Bulldogs! 🏈

Thank you Dr. Phillips for all you do for the children we serve.

11/13/2025

Some of the surgeons in our community have fan clubs! This family traveled all the way from Seattle to surprise Dr. Jason Hauptman during his presentation at at Disneyland this week.

Dr. Hauptman is the Division Chief, Neurosurgery, at Phoenix Children’s Hospital and a fellowship-trained epilepsy surgeon. Thank you Dr. Hauptman for your tireless dedication to the children we serve!

11/12/2025

An important message about how epilepsy surgery can save lives from our incoming board chair Dr. Taylor Abel, chief of neurosurgery at UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh.

11/10/2025

Day one of Epilepsy Awareness Day at Disneyland - and these two cuties stopped by! Eden is happy to share that she’s seizure-free after resection surgery at the .

Thank you Eden and Ali for helping us raise awareness about the life-saving nature of epilepsy surgery.

11/05/2025

Thank you Epilepsy Awareness Day at Disneyland for entrusting us with organizing the epilepsy surgery talks at the world’s largest epilepsy event!

Drop a heart in the comments if you’re going and don’t forget to swing by our booth ❤️

11/04/2025

Every parent’s story has the power to change lives. When you share your child’s epilepsy surgery journey, you help others feel less isolated and show them that hope and healing are possible.

Link in comments

11/03/2025

The hard truth: Children with drug-resistant (refractory) epilepsy die each year from SUDEP (sudden unexpected death in epilepsy).

But there's hope. In a large study of children with drug-resistant epilepsy, long-term survival improved with surgical treatments:

Cranial epilepsy surgery + medication: 98 out of 100 were alive 10 years later.
Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) + medication: 93 out of 100 were alive 10 years later.
Medication alone: Only 89 out of 100 were alive 10 years later.

What this means: Both surgery and VNS can be life-saving, and choosing the right option depends on your child’s type of epilepsy and medical evaluation.

What to do now:

Talk with your child’s neurologist today about a prompt evaluation at an EXPERIENCED comprehensive epilepsy center. An evaluation doesn’t mean you’ve chosen surgery. It means you’re learning whether cranial epilepsy surgery, VNS, or another procedure or device could reduce seizures, improve quality of life, and keep your child safer.

Read more in our blog post about this groundbreaking research

👉🏼 https://ow.ly/50t450Xk6VN