The Epilepsy Foundation hosted a "Heroes on the Hill" Congressional briefing in the Capitol Visitors Center senate meeting rooms Thursday afternoon. Reps. Ed Perlmutter (D-Colo.) and Bill Owens (D-N.Y.) spoke on the condition, Perlmutter sharing how one of his daughters has epilepsy and Owens stressing that it's a disease that can't be ignored. Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.) also stopped by to support his friend and colleague Rep. Perlmutter.

Greg Grunberg of NBC's Heroes, Dr. Brien Smith, Epilepsy Foundation National Board and Professional Advisory Board and Joyce Bender, chair of the Epilepsy Foundation and an epilepsy sufferer herself also spoke out on the issue.

"We need help in getting our message out," Grunberg said. "I hope people can get behind me."

Also in attendance were NFL stars Geoff Pope of the of the Philadelphia Eagles and Jason Snelling of the Atlanta Falcons, who is living with epilepsy.

–report and photographs by Kate Oczypok

Geoff Pope, Sandy Finucane, vice president of legislative & government affairs for the Epilepsy Foundation, Bill Murphy, director of state and government relations for the Epilepsy Foundation and Kisha James, Senior Manager, Communications for the Epilepsy Foundation

Carol and Marlee McCadden, Julia Greenberger, Allison McCartin