Cal running backs coach Aristotle Thompson was selected Thursday to the 2022 Uplifting Athletes Rare Disease Champion Team for his work related to his son Bryson's rare form of epilepsy Dravet Syndrome.

Since 2009, Uplifting Athletes has been honored to celebrate individuals from college athletics for their commitment to driving positive change for the rare disease community as part of its Rare Disease Champion Team. Each team member shares their experience to inspire hope for a future where no person impacted by rare disease feels alone.

"It is an honor to be selected to the Uplifting Athletes Rare Disease Champion Team and be connected with an organization that is committed to helping others in similar situations," Thompson said. "Our mission as an entire family is to do everything we can to make life better for all children like Bryson suffering from this disease, whether that is to raise awareness about epilepsy and the need for additional funds for research, or anything else that may help these children and their families. The ability for kids to be kids, no matter what they have, is so important to us."

Bryson suffered his first epileptic seizure in 2015 and the entire Thompson family – Aristotle; wife, Sarah; sons, Brock, Bryson and Lennon; daughters Akyra and Payton – have been on a mission to support his battle ever since.

Doctors recommended that Bryson be equipped with a special protective helmet to help keep him safe from the epileptic seizures he continues to suffer on an almost daily basis but insurance denied payment for the helmet. The charity Jack's Helping Hand stepped in to pay for Bryson's first helmet but the situation also inspired Bryson and his brother, Brock, to start Helmets4Helmets to help other children in similar circumstances and the foundation has already provided helmets to more than 60 kids. Aristotle uses his platform as a football coach to support the foundation and bring awareness to the need for increased funding for epilepsy but Brock and Bryson do the majority of the work. The organization asks for helmets from professional athletes (primarily NFL players) through handwritten letters from Brock and Bryson, and then auctions off the helmets to purchase protective helmets for other children with epilepsy. The protective helmets are not covered by insurance and the purchases normally cost Helmets4Helmets between $200 and $6000 each.

More information is available online at helmets4helmets.com, as well as on both Twitter and Instagram at helmets4helmets.

In addition to their extensive work with Helmets4Helmets, Thompson and his family are involved with the Epilepsy Foundation of Northern California including participating in the Walk For Epilepsy in San Francisco. When Aristotle coached at Cal Poly, they were also involved with Jack's Helping Hand, which assists children with special needs.

The family is also looking to erase the stigma of epilepsy and seizures by tackling their circumstances head-on and frequently talks publicly about their situation that has been featured by several media outlets including The View, where they met the late Kobe Bryant, as well as NFL Network shows, local television stations, and much more. Pac-12 Networks recently produced a feature about the family that aired during Epilepsy Awareness Month in November, while the San Francisco Chronicle also published a feature last month.

Inspired by former Boston College and New York Giants linebacker Mark Herzlich and his public battle with Ewing's sarcoma, the trophy awarded to each champion features a likeness of Herzlich in recognition of the significant awareness they raised for the rare disease community.

Thompson is joined on the five-member 2022 Rare Disease Champion Team by JD Bertrand (Notre Dame football), Max Blasche (Western Illinois football), Jenny Cape (Iowa women's soccer) and Tylee Craft (North Carolina football).

"As we continue to evolve as an organization so has our Rare Disease Champion Team," Uplifting Athletes Executive Director Rob Long said. "We are proud to introduce our most diverse team to date. While the team has evolved the impact that the members of our Rare Disease Champion Team have had on the rare disease community has remained steadfast. We are proud to recognize these individuals for utilizing their platform to inspire and provide hope for those around them now, and into the future."

Each member of the 2022 Rare Disease Champion Team will be celebrated during the Uplifting Athletes Young Investigator Draft on Saturday, February 4, 2023 at Lincoln Financial Field, home of the NFL's Philadelphia Eagles. Registration is now open.