Greater epilepsy awareness could be as simple as a walk on the beach, thanks to one New Jersey man.

Kyle Adamkiewicz, 33, has lived with epilepsy since being diagnosed at age 6. He is now combining his love of art with the power of nature to help bring his seizure disorder into the spotlight.

In Oct. 2022, Adamkiewicz began collecting seashells from the New Jersey shore, then painting and decorating them with heartfelt messages in search of a cure. He places his works of art along the seaside boardwalks in the hopes that they will inspire strangers to spread the word — and the shells.

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“It started with just painting a few shells, and I figured no one would find them,” Adamkiewicz said in an interview with Fox News Digital. 

“And then I saw people posting them online, and writing so many good and positive comments about the shells and about finding a cure for epilepsy. That motivated me to keep making more and more and more.”

“And now they have been around the entire world.”

Adamkiewicz doesn’t drive, so his parents — Chuck and Laurie Adamkiewicz — drive him to place his shells.

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“We have shells with us in the car all the time, and he places them in different locations, different towns,” his mother told Fox News Digital.

Adamkiewicz estimates that he’s painted some 1,100 shells so far.

Many include messages about finding a cure for epilepsy, but he has also created themed designs for various occasions, like Shark Week and Halloween.

Adamkiewicz has painted over 1,000 shells so far. “Our entire living room consists of nothing but shells and paint,” joked Adamkiewicz’s mother. (Adamkiewicz family)

“Our entire living room consists of nothing but shells and paint,” joked Adamkiewicz’s mother.

In addition to a hand-painted design, each shell contains Adamkiewicz’s initials, the year he decorated it and a QR code.

When people find the shells and scan the QR code, it takes them to a website. From there, they can access Adamkiewicz’s Facebook group, his Instagram account and a GoFundMe page set up to help raise funds for people to get “seizure alert” dogs.

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It also links to the Epilepsy Foundation website, where people can learn what to do if they witness someone having a seizure.

“Most people don’t really know how to handle someone if they’re having a seizure,” Adamkiewicz told Fox News Digital. “They just turn their back and walk the opposite way.”

In addition to a hand-painted design, each shell contains Adamkiewiczs’s initials, the year he decorated it and a QR code. (Adamkiewicz family)

“One out of 26 people in the world have epilepsy, but it’s basically a hidden disease that nobody really wants to know about.”

The Adamkiewicz family has a map of the world hanging on the wall — with pushpins to mark where the shells have been found, they told Fox News Digital.

In addition to locations across the U.S., shells have also been scanned in Mexico City, Greece, Italy, Panama, Canada, Nova Scotia, France, South Korea and Germany, Adamkiewicz said.

“One out of 26 people in the world have epilepsy, but it’s basically a hidden disease.”

“People will find the shells and take them to those places,” Adamkiewicz said. “And sometimes people will ask me for shells to take to wherever they are traveling.”

He’s also partnered with the hospital to get kids with epilepsy involved in his project, bringing shells in for them so they can paint their own designs.

Touching lives

Beyond helping to find a cure, Adamkiewicz has a goal of reducing bullying of people with epilepsy.

Adamkiewicz is pictured with his mother, Laurie Adamkiewicz. In April, he underwent a procedure to implant a responsive neurostimulation (RNS) device in his brain, which will gather data about his seizure activity. (Adamkiewicz family)

“When I was growing up, if my parents or brother weren’t there, I was always made fun of in school and in the neighborhood,” Adamkiewicz said. “Especially right after I had a seizure — the kids would just stare at me and make fun of me.”

He went on, “I want people to know it’s OK to be friends with someone with epilepsy.”

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At one point, during second and third grade, he estimates that he was having 100 seizures per day.

“It’s been a very hard and lonely life for Kyle, and very painful to see as a mother and father,” Laurie Adamkiewicz added.

The goal, she said, is that the shells will help to make life a little easier for those with epilepsy — and their families.

Adamkiewicz said his seashell project has been a therapeutic endeavor for him. “If it’s been a really bad day, that’s mostly what I’ll be doing,” he said. (Adamkiewicz family)

Adamkiewicz’s mother recalled a man who posted about a personal experience on the Facebook group.

“His son had passed away, and the man goes to the ocean every morning to say good morning to his son,” she said. “And there was the epilepsy shell, and he said he started crying. He said it was just like a gift to him.”

She added, “You never know whose lives you’re touching.”

Taking control

Since age 12, Adamkiewicz has been a patient at NYU Langone’s Comprehensive Epilepsy Center, one of the largest programs in the nation, where he’s had a series of brain surgeries.

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In April, he underwent a procedure to implant a responsive neurostimulation (RNS) device in his brain, which will gather data about his seizure activity.

Neurosurgeon Peter Rozman, M.D., performed the surgery alongside his mentor, Werner K. Doyle, M.D., Adamkiewicz’s longtime doctor.

Adamkiewicz and his mom, Laurie Adamkiewiz, are pictured with some of his painted shells. (Adamkiewicz family)

“This system has the capacity to actually record brain activity in the form of electrical waves that detect when the seizures start, so it can deliver an impulse to the brain at that time, with the goal of aborting the seizure,” Rozman said in an interview with Fox News Digital.

The data collected by the device is sent to the neurologist, who uses that information to program the device to better capture and treat the seizures, he said.

“Over time, people see more and more improvement in their seizures,” Rozman said.

Rozman praised Adamkiewicz’s seashell project, emphasizing the importance of increasing awareness of the condition.

“And it gives him an outlet, too,” the doctor said. “Having other people to talk about your condition with and being part of a community can be very helpful.”

Each shell contains a QR code that a person can scan to access information, resources and fundraisers for epilepsy. (Adamkiewicz family)

In a way, Rozman said, Adamkiewicz is turning his epilepsy into a good thing.

“It’s beneficial on both sides — for raising awareness and also allowing Kyle to have more control and to drive the story,” he said. 

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“It can be such a devastating thing to have to deal with on a daily basis, and having some sort of license and control over that is really important.”

Adamkiewicz agreed that his project has been a therapeutic endeavor for him.

“We want to teach people how to be kind, and how to help.”

“If it’s been a really bad day, that’s mostly what I’ll be doing,” he said.

“Like earlier today, I was painting some shells and had my ear buds in, just listening to some music. I’m just so focused on painting the shells that I zone everybody else out.”

Adamkiewicz’s shells have been found in many cities and countries around the world, including in Paris, France. (Adamkiewicz family)

Adamkiewicz and his mother are also working on a children’s book to teach kids more about epilepsy and what to do if someone is having a seizure.

“When someone has a seizure, it can be frightening to other children,” said Laurie Adamkiewicz mother.

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“So the goal is to get some information out there, to take the stigma away from the person who has epilepsy … We want to teach people how to be kind, and how to help.”

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Two cases of locally acquired dengue fever – a mosquito-borne illness – have been confirmed in the Florida Keys, the Florida Department of Health in Monroe County announced earlier this week. 

The Monroe Department of Health and the Florida Keys Mosquito Control District (FKMCD) are upping their surveillance and prevention efforts as cases arise, the notice said.

These measures include door-to-door mosquito inspections in the area, enhanced trapping and monitoring, and aerial and truck-mounted larvicide and adulticide treatments.

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Dengue fever can cause flu-like symptoms that include severe muscle aches, joint pain, fever and rashes, according to the alert.

Dengue fever is not contagious and can only be spread by an infected mosquito. Symptoms can appear within 14 days of being bitten.

DOH-Monroe reminded residents to take basic precautions against mosquito bites, including wearing bug repellent on skin and clothing, keeping screens on windows, using air conditioning in the home, and keeping doors and windows closed when possible. 

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FKMCD also released a statement encouraging property owners to prevent mosquitoes from breeding by eliminating standing water.

This can be done by turning over and removing empty pots, buckets, trash cans, recycling bins, pet bowls and children’s toys that collect water.

Wearing long sleeves and pants and applying bug spray can help prevent mosquito bites. (iStock)

The group also recommended checking tarps on boats or other equipment, as well as gutters, to make sure they’re clear of debris. 

Property owners are also encouraged to flush fresh water through hanging plants and bird baths.

Fox News Digital reached out to the Florida health department for additional comment.

“There are currently no vaccines in the United States against mosquito-transmitted viruses, nor are there many treatments.”

“Personal protection remains folks’ best bet to stop the spread of mosquito-borne diseases, and vector-borne diseases more broadly,” Joe Fauver, PhD, epidemiologist at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, told Fox News Digital.

“There are currently no vaccines in the United States against mosquito-transmitted viruses, nor are there many treatments.”

Highest on record

Just before the local Floridian outbreak, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued an official health advisory for an increased risk of dengue fever infection.

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The agency reported on June 25 that the global incidence of dengue in 2024 is the highest on record.

The World Health Organization (WHO) recorded more than 7.6 million global dengue fever infections in the first four months of 2024.

Global health agencies have reported high numbers of dengue fever infections in 2024. (iStock)

The CDC advised health care providers to be on the lookout for dengue symptoms and to order appropriate diagnostic tests.

During an appearance on FOX Business’ “Varney & Co.” on Tuesday, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine professor Dr. Marty Makary said the infection is considered “dangerous,” but not to the level of “another pandemic.”

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“It’s endemic in many tropical and warm countries,” he said. 

Dengue fever, which has been reported in about 38 U.S. states, can come with a characteristic eye pain and rash, according to the doctor.

Florida officials say the yellow fever mosquito (aedes aegypti) is to blame for dengue transmission. (iStock)

Although there are tests available, Makary confirmed there is no known treatment for dengue.

“It’s a good reminder to try to do what you can to reduce mosquito bites, especially in the southern United States, where this is more common,” he advised.

‘Invasive’ and ‘aggressive’ mosquitoes

While Florida authorities have identified the yellow fever (Aedes aegypti) mosquito as the culprit in spreading dengue, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) previously warned that tiger mosquitoes (Aedes albopictus) can also carry the infection.

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Elitza Theel, PhD, director of Mayo Clinic Laboratories in Minnesota, confirmed that tiger mosquitoes are a “known vector” for dengue fever and can transmit the virus to individuals who have not previously been infected.

“This mosquito species is concerning for a number of reasons, including that it is considered the most invasive species in the world,” she told Fox News Digital last month.

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The mosquito species is moving further and further north globally as temperatures grow warmer, the expert said. 

“Tiger mosquitoes are also rather aggressive, biting both humans and animals at any time of the day, rather than just at dawn or dusk, which is typical of other mosquito species,” Theel warned.

Aedes albopictus, the “tiger” mosquito, can survive in cooler climates, according to experts. (iStock)

Fauver warned that the tiger mosquito can spread many “problematic arboviruses (arthropod-borne virueses),” including dengue, Zika and chikungunya.

“The mosquito is a generalist feeder and will gladly take bloodmeals from humans, potentially exposing them to these arboviruses,” he told Fox News Digital. 

“Aedes albopictus is an invasive species and is currently undergoing rapid range expansion and establishing populations in areas it previously wasn’t, including Europe and the U.S.”

Health officials have claimed that climate change is one of the factors contributing to the spread of these insects.

Fox News Digital’s Melissa Rudy contributed to this report.