Our Inspiration:
Chelsea's Story
Chelsea was born September 28, 1992 and brought more joy into our lives than we can express in words. At the age of 11, she began having occasional seizures, until one night, April 19, 2009, at the age of 16, Chelsea died very unexpectedly after having a seizure in her sleep. The Chelsea Hutchison Foundation was created in loving memory of our precious daughter, sister, niece, cousin and friend, Chelsea Alice Hutchison. No one had ever told us a seizure could take her life. The term, SUDEP (Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy) is a term we would learn to know well.
Chelsea loved life! She lived every day to the fullest and never ceased to amaze us with her creativity and imagination. From believing she was a baby fox or a mama kitty as a young girl, to pretending to be a mermaid lying helplessly on the floor inside her bedroom (you know, Mermaids can’t walk); there was never a dull moment.
The stories she would write and the pictures she would draw amazed us. They came from inside Chelsea’s school notebooks, which were color-coordinated and uniquely decorated; complete with a Disney Princess folder inside each one. She took on most school assignments with great enthusiasm. There was no such thing as a simple book report. Instead, they were projects that typically involved a trip to a store for special art supplies to make them just so.
Chelsea was as beautiful on the inside as she was on the outside.
She never wanted to be limited to just one group of friends; she genuinely wanted to be friends with EVERYONE! She loved who she was and even loved her name! It was important for her to be her own person and often referred to herself as a “dork” with pride!
Chelsea touched many lives and we are amazed at how many she continues to touch even after her passing. The Chelsea Hutchison Foundation is designed to assist people living with Epilepsy. Funds raised by this Foundation provide grants for seizure-response dogs and epilepsy monitors for those in need, wish trips, educate the public about SUDEP, and provide support to those who have been affected by SUDEP.
Our Mission
The Chelsea Hutchison Foundation exists to raise awareness of SUDEP and use it to grant comfort, hope and positivity to individuals and families living with epilepsy. Join us.
Make a Dream Come True for Someone with Epilepsy
This project, fondly called Chelsea’s Wish, brings families from across the United States to Epilepsy Awareness Day and Expo at Disneyland each November.
What is SUDEP?
SUDEP is the sudden, unexpected death of someone with epilepsy, who was otherwise healthy. No other cause of death is found when an autopsy is done. Each year, more than 1 out of 1,000 people with epilepsy die from SUDEP. If seizures are uncontrolled the risk of SUDEP increases to more than 1 out of 150.