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Each year, Epilepsy Awareness Day at Disneyland brings together families, clinicians, advocates, and patient-support organizations from around the world. But this year marked a milestone for both the event and for TMA Precision Health.
For the first time in the event’s 12-year history, families had direct access to on-site genomic testing, a meaningful step forward for those searching for answers in their diagnostic journey.
Fresh off two unforgettable days in Anaheim, the TMA team, CEO & Co-Founder Josh Resnikoff, Director of Operations Sofia Giraldo, and Sunstone Health Podcast co-host Justin Starbird, sat down to reflect on the experience. What followed was one of the most heartfelt conversations yet: a blend of emotion, gratitude, and renewed purpose.
As the team shared, walking into the Disneyland Hotel ballroom was like stepping into a space powered by hope.
Families arrived with an openness and resilience that left a lasting impact on everyone present. Many came from across the country, some even internationally, to meet others navigating similar challenges, learn from experts, and seek the possibility of long-awaited answers.
For Josh and Sofia, meeting families face-to-face, some for the very first time, was the cornerstone of the experience. Hearing their diagnostic journeys not as case files or summaries, but as stories told by parents, caregivers, and young advocates themselves, was a powerful reminder of why TMA exists.
TMA’s presence this year wasn't only relational, it was operational.
The team offered on-site cheek swab genomic testing, providing families with immediate, accessible next steps in uncovering the potential root causes of their child’s epilepsy.
Parents shared feelings of relief, gratitude, and in many cases, renewed hope. For many families, the idea of actionable genetics is still brand new. Others have heard of it but haven’t known where to begin. To offer a clear, guided pathway in real time was one of the most meaningful elements of the weekend.
“It felt like removing a barrier right in front of them,” Sofia shared. “We weren’t just talking about precision health, we were bringing it directly to families who need it most.”
The team heard dozens of stories, each unique, yet connected by a shared thread of perseverance.
One young advocate spoke about her epilepsy as her superpower, a perspective that moved the entire group. Parents described years of searching, countless appointments, and moments of uncertainty that shaped their paths. Some families arrived with deep emotional weight; others radiated a fierce optimism.
These stories were not only personal, they were stories that help guide TMA’s mission, product development, and the future of how care can be delivered.
Walking away from Epilepsy Awareness Day 2025, the TMA team felt a heightened sense of responsibility. The conversations they had, the connections made, and the stories heard all reaffirmed one thing:
Families deserve answers. And they deserve them sooner.
The weekend was a powerful reminder that TMA’s work is not abstract or distant. It is deeply human, deeply emotional, and deeply needed.
The team returned home energized and more committed than ever to:
Events like this are more than touchpoints. They are anchor points for innovation, empathy, and progress
To hear the team reflect in their own words on the emotions, the stories, and the impact of these two unforgettable days, listen to “Epilepsy Awareness Day Reflections“ on the Sunstone Health Podcast.