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Beachwood proclaims October SUDEP Awareness Month after local advocates share personal losses
Summary
Beachwood City Council presented a proclamation recognizing SUDEP Awareness Month after Lee Goldie of Empowering Epilepsy described sudden unexpected death in epilepsy and urged proactive steps to reduce risk.
Council President opened the meeting by presenting a proclamation recognizing October 2025 as SUDEP (sudden unexpected death in epilepsy) Awareness Month and invited Lee Goldie of Empowering Epilepsy to speak.
"SUDEP is sudden unexpected death in epilepsy," Goldie said, explaining that it refers to otherwise healthy people with epilepsy who die unexpectedly without another identifiable cause. She recounted local losses, including a former Beachwood resident, David Schafer, and said the organization has lost about 20 people and sees a high suicide rate among people with epilepsy.
The proclamation, which cites Ohio House Bill 731 (Brenna's Law) and CDC estimates that about 1 in 1,000 people with epilepsy die from SUDEP each year, encourages education, family awareness and research. Council members thanked Goldie and said the city would publicly honor the awareness effort.
Council and the mayor emphasized the city is recognizing and supporting the awareness effort; they did not authorize funding in the meeting record. The proclamation language reiterates that the city is joining efforts to promote education and prevention and to honor families affected by epilepsy.
The meeting moved on after the proclamation and closed the TEFRA public hearing when no members of the public signed up to speak.
