Brenda Ferrell – TN
Dr. Brenda Y. Ferrell is a retired University French professor and mother to her 30-year old Dravet son, Brian. She became involved with the IDEA League after a visit with Dr. Olivier Dulac in Paris, France, when Brian was one-year old, in 1994. At that time he was diagnosed with SMEI, now known as Dravet syndrome, and told that his life expectancy was 10-12 years. She sat in the doctor’s office and cried. When she returned home, she began aggressive intervention therapies for Brian, and sought help, advice, and encouragement from the IDEA League website and family groups. Brian was 9 when she met her first Dravet family. Along with the help of Dravet parent Kim Skriba, Brenda collected quilt blocks from all over the world from Dravet families and designed a quilt that was first displayed at the DSF conference in Connecticut.
Brenda has participated with the Dravet team at two National Epilepsy Walks in DC, four Steps for a Cure in Atlanta, two Birthday fundraisers, shared numerous posts from the DSF, and posted in the family groups. Her involvement in these activities reveal her passion for and support of the DSF mission. Because her son has outlived the dire prognosis given when he was one, and since he has lived to become an adult, she is now passionate about the adult side of Dravet Syndrome.
In her free-time, Brenda loves to travel, spend time with family, is an avid quilter, exercises, and teaches a ladies SS class.
