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Scholarship Winners Speak About Epilepsy Awareness
June 16, 2008 3:15 PM
The BC Epilepsy Society awarded nine scholarships worth $1000 each to individuals living with epilepsy. Each applicant submitted an essay about their experiences and ideas about how to raise awareness about epilepsy. Below are some of their thoughts.
"Though it may not always be easy, I believe spreading this knowledge to my friends and community is of utmost importance. Ever since I came down with the condition I noticed a need for the public to be more aware of what epilepsy is and of what effects upon both ones psychical and emotional being are; through such awareness, the sort of myths and misinformation that may actually hold someone with the condition back may be dispelled. I have never shied away from my seizure disorder, opening discussing it with my friends and family, and this is undoubtedly the most effective approach to increasing awareness of epilepsy; indeed, first hand information is always the most compelling and is most likely to make an impact."
"Where my parents came from in Uganda epileptic seizures are incorrectly believed to be a demonic possession and even in places where they are aware of what epilepsy is it is sometimes dealt with incorrectly." "These perceptions are the types of misconceptions I wish to change through my work in international development. Though the task of making such changes in BC and in the world is great, I think that it is one which must be done, and the weight of making it happen falls on the youth of today, in partnership with the already existing resources such as BC Epilepsy. Alone I make a small difference in my community, but with the support of organizations, other youth, volunteers, and my education in international development I believe I can make a difference in my global community as well."
"Being diagnosed with epilepsy was a difficult experience for me to go through, given that I had absolutely no prior knowledge of my condition. For approximately one year prior to being diagnosed, I had been having these strange little jerks, like jolts of electricity passing through my body. I also had periods of time where I seemed to zone out and lose my concentration, without having any recollection of it later. Sometimes people thought I wasn't paying attention. My friends always thought it was odd that I would jerk around and some were even scared and did not know what to do." "I believe that raising awareness about epilepsy in my community is very important, especially educating young, elementary school aged children. If I would have learned about epilepsy when I was in elementary school, it would have been an easier thing to cope with when I was diagnosed with it. It is important for children to understand what epilepsy is and how to react if one of their peers is having a seizure, and also if they ever receive a diagnosis of epilepsy themselves it would be less traumatic having knowledge of the condition beforehand."
"To me epilepsy is not a crutch; it is more like a catapult. It has given me the courage to do things I never would have done in the past and to work harder than I ever have before."
Posted by Elvira Balakshin at June 16, 2008 3:15 PM
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