Actor Greg Grunberg

[Ruth]

ACTOR GREG GRUNBERG STEPS UP FOR EPILEPSY
With a son who has epilepsy, Heroes star is committed to raising money for a cure
By Leslie Pepper,
WebMD, the magazine

His 13 year old son, Jake, has had epilepsy for the past 5 years.

Greg Grunberg is on the NBC show Heroes.

Greg Grunberg's epilepsy fundraising is raising awareness and funding for epilepsy. He is a spokesperon for The Epilepsy Foundation. He is using his charity band, Band from TV (Gundberg on drums, Laurie on keyboard, Ten Hatcher on vocals and other's).

He has raised more than $2 million. His website is: www.talkaboutit.org.

Let's hope more come forward.

[TempusFugit]

What a fantastic website! Thank you for sharing this Ruth - I will be putting this as a link on my fb page

[Ruth]

Here is a list of other well-known famous people:
1. Hugo Weaving (April 4, 1960) a film and stage actor
2. Vincent Van Gogh (1853-1890) a passoniate artist
3. Neil Young ( November 12, 1945) Toronto, Ontario. A famous musician with polio, diabetes and epilepsy.

I am going to write more about each person.

[Ruth]

Here is another new one:

Amy Lee

Amy Lee, the song writer, singer snf pianist. She founded the band Evanscence. She is an advocate for epilepsy:
www.outoftheshadows.com.

If anyone else knows any new ones, put them in the list. The list has grown by 2. I will try to find out if there are anymore new ones. They are starting to come forward.

[Ruth]

HUGO WALLACE WEAVING

Hugo Weaving was born April 4, 1960. He is a film and stage actor, as well as a voice actor.

Weaving was born in Nigeria. He spent his childhood in South Africa and then moved to the UK in his teens. He moved to Australia in 1996.

When he was 13 years old, he was diagnosed with epilepsy. Due to the prospect of seizures, Weaving does not drive cars.

In Australia, he went to Sydney's Knox Grammar School. Weaving later graduated from Austrailia's National Institute of Dramatic Art in 1981.

Hugo Weaving was thrown off stage during a performance at the Sydney Opera House, after he collapsed and had seizures.

In a 2006 interview he came forward and said that he had not had a seizure in years. He is still relucant to get a driver's licence because, "I'm scared of what I would do."

www.imdb.com/name/nmo915989/bio/

Hugo, like me, made the decision not to drive. The more that come forward, the better.

[Rae1889]

Here is a list of other well-known famous people:
1. Hugo Weaving (April 4, 1960) a film and stage actor
2. Vincent Van Gogh (1853-1890) a passoniate artist
3. Neil Young ( November 12, 1945) Toronto, Ontario. A famous musician with polio, diabetes and epilepsy.

I am going to write more about each person.

Hi Ruth there is already a thread about famous people with Epilepsy.

please see Epilepsy Hall Of Fame

[Ruth]

Thank you Rae, I forgot that, I have a bad memory. I just got so excited when Greg Grundberg came forward. I am starting to add to Phylis's thread.

[matchu]

while working today doing as-built conditions of a high school. I was in the library locating all the receptacles, data/telephone outlets and all other things electrical. I stumbled up on, well I should say it yelled at me, a book titled Epileptic by David B.

anyone seen and or read this?

[Ruth]

Hi, no I have not heard of it. Does it say who are famous people who have come forward in the book Epileptic by David B. What is his last name? Ruth

[Ruth]

Neil Young

Neil Young was born November 12, 1945. He is a musician known for his meaningful lycrics and also a spokesman for environmental issues. He is known as one of the greatest guiraists of his time. He had epilepsy.

He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a solo artist in 1995. He is a Canadian singer-songwriter, musician and film direstor. He has directed and co-directed movies under the name Bernard Shakey. His best known work is 2 distintive styles: acoustic folk/country and electric-charged hard rock.

He is also an outspoken advocate for environmental issues and small farmers. He has co-founded in 1985, the benefit concert Farm Aid. In 1986 he helped found the Bridge School. He and his wife, Pegi, has annual Supporting Bridge School Benefit concerts.

In this, Young's involvement stems at least partially from the fact that both of his sons have cerebral palsy and his daughter, like Neil Young has epilepsy.

He has lived in northern California since the 1970's.

This is the address I was given: en.wikipedia/wiki/Neil_Young

[Ruth]

Edgar Allen Poe (January 19, 1809 - October 7, 1849)

He was recently put on the list of the famous for having had epilepsy. There is no proof that he had epilepsy. I am taking him off of my list. He did not have epilepsy.

His death was unknown. He had alcoholism, cholera, heart disease, rabies, suicide, and TB.

The reason people recently thought he had epilepsy was due to his frequent confusion. With all of his health problems, no wonder he had confusion.

Am I missing something? Can someone please come up with proof as to why, he was put on the list? I would appreciate it.

[Ruth]

Prince John (John Charles Francis) born July 12, 1905 - January 18, 1919. He died of epilepsy.

His mother Queen Mary loved John very much. This is proven in her diary of him. He was kept within the Royal Family. They kept him hidden from public view because epilepsy, at that time had a stigma attached to it. They protected him.

Prince John was diagnosed with epilepsy at age 4. He was happy and well-cared for by the Royal Family. He went many places and had a tutor to teach him. His interests included: bicycling, riding horses and his garden. The gardener helped John to keep up the garden. The garden was named "Prince John's Garden."

When he turned 13, his seizures had become more frequent. It is to sad that they did not know about nutrition or had medicines for epilepsy at that time.

There is a British TV Drama, The Lost Prince, aired on TV in January 2003. It came to the U.S TV in October, 2004. You can buy it on DVD, now.

"The Lost Prince"
Producer: TalkBack Thames
Written and Directed: Stephen Poliakoff
Based on the true novel, The Lost Prince. The author is Francis Hodson Burnett.

Prince John was the youngest child of King George V and Queen Mary. His nanny, Charlotte Bill, and his mother Queen Mary gave him love and devotion.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/list_of..._with_epilepsy

[TempusFugit]

Edgar Allen Poe (January 19, 1809 - October 7, 1849)

He was recently put on the list of the famous for having had epilepsy. There is no proof that he had epilepsy. I am taking him off of my list. He did not have epilepsy.

Seems harsh :S There are many people who have epilepsy and have no scientific proof as well (ie normal EEG's, normal MRI's). Do they not have epilepsy too?

His death was unknown. He had alcoholism, cholera, heart disease, rabies, suicide, and TB.

That may be... but surely someone who has the above (suicide and rabies aside) may have sufficient brain damage to invoke seizures? The cause of his death has always been subjective to say the least... but to dismiss it because it was self-induced or whatever, is again in my humble opinion, a little bit harsh.

The reason people recently thought he had epilepsy was due to his frequent confusion. With all of his health problems, no wonder he had confusion.

I think we are also forgetting that he is very creative (like many other literary figures who are suspected of having epilepsy - Charles Dickens, Lewis Carroll to name but a few). True, his excesses may have contributed to seizures... likewise, it may be his seizures that contributed to his excesses. This is something that we will probably never know.

Am I missing something? Can someone please come up with proof as to why, he was put on the list? I would appreciate it.

I doubt whether we will ever get any proof (as mentioned before). But Poe will remain on my list regardless

[roo]

Edgar Allan Poe was by all accounts one of the most talented of American storytellers, with many of his tales based on characters with episodic unconsciousness, confusion, and paranoia. Similar episodic behavior is well known to have taken place in Poe’s life as well, and is generally attributed to alcohol or drug abuse. There is considerable evidence, however, that Poe suffered not from simple substance abuse but from complex partial seizures, possibly followed by prolonged confusion and postictal psychosis. Complex partial seizures were not well described in Poe’s time, which could explain a misdiagnosis. Alternatively, he may have suffered from complex partial epilepsy which was complicated or caused by substance abuse. In any case, his personal experiences clearly influenced many of his major works. He represents a fascinating case of a neurological condition in a talented individual, who was then able to use his experiences to give deeper meaning and poignancy to his art.

http://content.karger.com/ProdukteDB....asp?Doi=85603

[Ruth]

Hi TempusFugit, you are right, I was harsh. I am sorry for that.

Roo, thank you for the link. It sounds like he did have epilepsy. He also had scizophrenia with it. That may have made it confusing. Epilepsy and Mental Illness do go together a lot of times. So does Epilepsy and Creativity.

When I was in my 20's I read Edgar Allen Poe's stories. He was diffently talented. Apparently I am wrong about him. Thank you for correcting me.

I need feedback to be corrected to get everyone on the list who has/had epilepsy

[TempusFugit]

*hugs* Ruth.

It's fine honestly and there is no need for apologies I know how passionate you are about this subject and it is good to openly challenge and discuss differing opinions - in fact, it makes us all think things through and gain some perspective/understanding on it and look at different viewpoints.

*hugs* again xx

[Ruth]

*hugs* Ruth.
it is good to openly challenge and discuss differing opinions - in fact, it makes us all think things through and gain some perspective/understanding on it and look at different viewpoints.

It is hard to decide whether someone had epilepsy or not in the past. The stigma was real bad then. People tried to keep it "in the closet."

I am glad my father and mother did not put me in "the closet."

Te Amo!!

[roo]

I think what you are doing here Ruth is a great idea

I agree it is hard to make a call on who had Epilepsy in the past. Apart from the stigma as mentioned, there is also the fact that (depending on how far you go back) unless someone was visibly having a convulsion then nobody would have thought of Epilepsy.

In modern times we are more aware of the different ways in which epilepsy can show itself, and even then doctors and the general population often just don't 'get it'

[Ruth]

Hi Roo,

That is so true about today. A lot of People only understand about abscence and tonic-clonic seizures. We can be glad that more and more people, like Greg Grunberg and Amy Lee are advocates when it comes to epilepsy. I am sure there are more that we do not know about.

[Ruth]

My favorite commedian, Bud Abbot, had epilepsy all of his life. (Oct. 2,1895-April 24, 1974). His complete name was William Alexander "Bud" Abbott. He was always named "Bud." He was born in Ashbury Park, New Jersey. He died at Woodland Hills, California. He was an actor, producer and comedian. He was the straight man of the comedy team Abbott and Costello. He used drinking as his medicine for his seizures.

Abbott married Betty Smith, they began producing a vaudeville show. In 1924, Bud acted as a straight man with his wife. He became known and started working with famous comedians.

Abbott and Costello teamed up in 1936.

Their most famous routine was from the movie: The Naughty Nineties, in 1945, "Who's On First."

Budd Abbott had the baseball uniform on: The St. Louis Wolves.
He was the one who knew all of the nick names of the baseball team. Lou Costello got frustrated about the whole thing. It is very funny. I will make it brief.

These are the nicknames of the players on the baseball team:
"Who" is on First base
"What" is on Second base
"I don't know" is on Third base
"Why" is left fielder
"I don't care is short stop.
"Tomorrow" is the pitcher
"Today" is the catcher

You can imagine how funny it was when Lou Costello got frustrated.

Bud Abbott and Betty Smith were married for 55 year. They stayed married until "death do you part." Betty Smith died in 1981.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=sShMA85pvM

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/list_of..._with_epilepsy

If you want his complete life story, press on Bud Abbott's name in the wikipedia link. Google Bud Abbott to find "who's on first" in You Tube.