Page 44 - Poze Magazine Volume 78

JOEY’S SONG
PHOTOS: TIM BROCKWAY
PHOTOS: TIM BROCKWAY
Getting together with fellow musicians for
a night of jamming is nothing out of the
ordinary. When you take that jam to a
larger stage with a couple thousand of
your closest friends, there might just be a
bit more to it.
Such is the case with Joey’s Song. An
event fundraiser held each year to help
raise money and awareness for epilepsy
research. Founded in 2010 by Mike Gromoll
of Madison Wisconsin, Joey’s Song has, as
of this year, helped to raise over $1.3
million dollars towards
epilepsy research. A condition hitting very
close to home for Mike and his family as
Mike’s son, Joey, lost his battle with a rare
form of epilepsy called, Dravet Syndrome,
just a few days shy of his 5th birthday.
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The Epilepsy Foundation at
www.epilepsy.com, describes Dravet
syndrome as a rare, genetic epileptic
encephalopathy, altering brain
function and structure, that presents
with a rise to seizures that do not
respond well to seizure medications
and begins in the first year of life in an
otherwise healthy infant. Mike explains
that even though Joey was non-
verbal, music would bring him to life.
Joey would lead in getting others to
dance and move to the music
bringing him joy. Because of Joey’s
love for music, and knowing that the
prognosis for Joey was poor, the
thought of something to help in
epilepsy research started prior to
Joey’s passing.