A Response to Criticism

When told that my time would be better spent trying to get people to support narcolepsy research: My problem is this: it wasn't just one comment. It wasn't a passing joke. This is something has been laughing about in interviews for literally years. Whether we like to admit it or not, celebrities hold more of the public's attention and can sway more of the public's opinion than doctors can, and until the jokes stop and people realize that this is a real issue, the money for research just won't come in. People support breast cancer research because they've realized it's an issue. They support diabetes research because it's an issue. They started supporting ALS research when they realized it was an issue. Narcolepsy is still on the fringes. Until we find a way to bring it into the public's eye as an issue, we won't get our support. Maybe this is a God send. Maybe this will be our ice bucket challenge and it will finally bring narcolepsy into the conversation when someone with such a big name finally says that he recognizes that this isn't a joke, it's an issue.