Epilepsy Awareness Month

Hey, there beauties! November is National Epilepsy Awareness Month. The goal of this month is to spotlight epilepsy and raise awareness. Slick Chicks are strong advocates of this effort and of the epilepsy community. We support the goal of educating the public about epilepsy and seizures and to fight social stigma.

Epilepsy, also known as seizure disorder, is a chronic brain disorder that briefly interrupts the normal electrical activity of the brain to cause seizures, characterized by a variety of symptoms including uncontrolled movements of the body, disorientation or confusion, sudden fear, or loss of consciousness. Epilepsy may result from a head injury, stroke, brain tumors, lead poisoning, genetic conditions, or severe infections like meningitis or encephalitis. In over 70 percent of cases no cause for epilepsy were identified. About 1 percent of the world’s population, or over 2 million people, are diagnosed with epilepsy.

Life is like a game of cards. Everyone in the world faces challenges, most of them face them every day of their lives. The challenges that people go through make them who they are. It determines what becomes of them and what they will do in life.  Unfortunately, my little sister Shania Renee Hanner was given the challenge of epilepsy at an early age. She fought her battle fiercely with immense determination, a huge smile, and an unforgettable laugh.

Sadly, my baby sister passed away in her sleep just before her third birthday. My little sister was one of a kind that’s for sure. She lived every second of her life to the fullest. Her light will shine forever. She is my hero.

 Every year 1 in 150 people who have uncontrolled seizures die from sudden unexpected death in epilepsy, known as SUDEP. When people with epilepsy and their caregivers are empowered with information they can understand what actions to take.

 Seizures can impact an individual's life in many ways, including creating barriers to employment and education and even cause the individual to feel a sense of isolation from their peers. The more everyone talks about epilepsy, the less people living with the condition have to fear discrimination, worry, and stigma.

Slick Chicks supports the goal of educating the public about epilepsy and seizures in the month of November and every month to follow. We challenge you, our readers, to get involved and learn about the many ways you can help lead the fight to overcome the challenges of living with epilepsy and to accelerate therapies to stop seizures, find cures, and save lives. 

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