CBS News Philadelphia Shines a Light on Narcolepsy

During Sleep Awareness Month, Project Sleep was thrilled to be a part of a spotlight on sleep disorders and narcolepsy in the news. CBS News Philadelphia highlighted South Philadelphia artist and Project Sleep Rising Voices speaker, Mary Schneider, and her long journey to a diagnosis.

I had this overwhelming tiredness that just wouldn’t go away, it didn’t matter how long I slept, how well I slept.”

– Mary Schneider

Mary Schneider is a multidisciplinary artist and ice cream enthusiast from Philadelphia, PA. She was diagnosed with type 1 narcolepsy with cataplexy at age 34 after experiencing symptoms for over 12 years. As a trained speaker with Project Sleep’s Rising Voices program, Mary candidly describes navigating life with an invisible chronic condition and shares some lesser-known symptoms of this often-misdiagnosed sleep disorder.

In the CBS segment, Mary explains the stigma surrounding sleepiness and how many people’s symptoms are often dismissed or simply labeled as being “lazy,” and how she found support through Project Sleep. “We’re trying to help people navigate their experience either pre-diagnosis or after their diagnosis,” shared Project Sleep President & CEO, Julie Flygare.

Why Media Stories Matter

Stories like Mary’s are powerful reminders of why Project Sleep exists: to raise awareness, challenge stigma, and ensure no one navigating a sleep disorder feels alone. As Mary says, “[Narcolepsy] is often a joke on TV and movies, but it’s not a joke—it’s actually a serious condition.” Every time sleep disorders are covered in mainstream media, we take another step toward dismantling stigma and misconceptions surrounding sleep disorders.

We’re deeply grateful to Mary for sharing her journey and to CBS Philadelphia for amplifying the voices of people living with narcolepsy. There is much more to Mary’s story. Please read Mary’s article in Sleep World Magazine to learn more and contact us if you’d like to request Mary to speak at your upcoming event.

Please note: Recent research suggests that type 1 narcolepsy with cataplexy is caused by a lack of hypocretin (also called orexin), a key neurotransmitter that helps sustain alertness and regulate the sleep-wake cycle. Less is known about type 2 narcolepsy without cataplexy.

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