Welcome to Awaken the Cure!

The mission of Awaken the Cure is to provide financial support to accelerate the cure for narcolepsy and to connect families with helpful on-line resources. Narcolepsy is a common disorder affecting more than 1 in 2,000 people—that’s about one student in each major public high school. It is as common as Multiple Sclerosis and Type I Diabetes, yet in many cases, diagnosis is not made until years after the onset of symptoms. We have heard, and experienced firsthand, situations where teachers or peers assume sleepiness is the result of laziness, lack of motivation or even as a state of drug use.

Narcolepsy often begins during adolescence, one of the most psychological and socially trying times in a person’s life, so education and awareness about the disorder are important. One of our family members is narcoleptic. It took us months of us researching on-line and visiting multiple doctors to get an accurate diagnosis. Still, years after a diagnosis of narcolepsy with cataplexy, we continued seeking help because symptoms were not improving. Through numerous calls and emails, we found help at Stanford’s Center for Narcolepsy. We continue learning along the way about narcolepsy/cataplexy, and are passionate about helping connect other families with educational and medical resources.

Narcolepsy affects more than just humans—horses, fish and even household dogs can have the disorder. Meet Bear, the narcoleptic dog, in the video below: