A dream…more ‘Star-Power’ to help fight the fight against Epilepsy
It’s a dream I have…a vision.
Someday, it won’t just be ordinary people like you and me who step forward and admit they have Epilepsy. It will be famous people who ‘step out of the darkness’. Oh don’t get me wrong, I can rattle off some of the big names who have or have had Epilepsy (you probably can too): Vincent Van Gogh, Sir Isaac Newton, Neil Young and Danny Glover (those are two of my favorites), and Napoleon. But still, not taking anything away from these fantastic individuals, it just seems as if we could use some ‘star power’ to garner more attention for our cause.
Greg Grunberg does a wonderful job on his website, http://www.talkaboutit.org/flash.shtml It’s a colorful and flashy, celebrity-filled discussion on Epilepsy, and I truly believe it does break down some barriers. Still, how many of those people, other than Greg Grunberg, truly deal with Epilepsy in their lives? The answer…probably more than we know, they just aren’t admitting it.
3 million people in the U.S. have Epilepsy; 50 million people around the world live with it. Nearly 200,000 new cases will be diagnosed this year in the U.S. The statistics are incredible, to say the least. I’m always amazed at how quickly people will don their pink-wear and their ribbons in the fight against breast cancer. Why can’t we do something like this for Epilepsy? Is it because seizures can look SO ugly? Is it because most of the time there is truly no cure for Epilepsy?
Perhaps Greg Grunberg has the best solution to date…continue to ‘Talk About It’. Inform others. Stay positive and spread the word. Who knows, 2010 might just be the year for the Epilepsy community to acquire a few more big names to help us fight our fight!
For more information about famous people with Epilepsy: http://www.disabled-world.com/artman/publish/epilepsy-famous.shtml
- Tags: epilepsy, Epilepsy Community, Seizures
5 Responses to “A dream…more ‘Star-Power’ to help fight the fight against Epilepsy”
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Jeff Nelson
January 4th, 2010 at 1:29 pm
Yes, I hope they step out of the darkness! We do need the support. I was amazed when I first googled in ‘famous people with epilepsy’ and found just how many there were or have been, and what extraordinary names came up. A while back I read a book about Temporal Lobe Epilepsy called ‘Seized’ by Eve LaPlante that discussed, among other things, how epilepsy may or can contribute to a highly artistic, literary, or musical mentality. There are even names that neurologists and phycologists have given to the passion an epileptic may feel in the need to create large amounts of artwork, music, or writings. These are the kind of passions that aren’t ordinary, but are extraordinary. Not a want, but a feeling of need. These feelings may be due to the number of siezures one is having and where they are located as they effect that section of the mind. If I remember correctly, LaPlante mentioned in her book ‘Siezed’ that if a person contains any talent and are subjected to these passions, then if the timing and place is right, they may fall within the cattagory of those who have changed our view of the world. As an artist, B.A. Art Historian, (and epileptic) who is definately a fan of Van Gogh, I was interested to read that Gogh had created over 2000 paintings in only 6 years with little schooling and did so well. What interested me more, was that in just one year of 08′ before I read ‘Siezed’, I had created over 100 paintings, many still life, many realistic portraits, and some of which were 6′ X 4′ large, though definately not abstract! I had litterally locked myself in my studio up to ten hours a day, living on coffee. I know….bad! But, my point is, is that I didn’t really want to, I felt I had too! So maybe LaPlante has something going there. I will always do what I do because I love it regardless of any success, and I don’t plan on cutting off my ear! However, until there is a cure for epilepsy, I’m going to keep looking at my daily visions as a gift rather than a terrible problem; because despite all of the challenges I face each day, it seems that there may be some bit of an upside to having epilepsy.
Olivia Murphy
March 18th, 2010 at 9:08 pm
I have been living wit epilepsy since the age of 10. Its been kind of hard but i was able to get my license in Cosmetology and a Associates Degree in Culinary Arts. Still I am left with a feeling of what should I do since both of my careers are out in the open and not behind closed doors. No matter where I try to place myself I cant seem to choose the right career. I love arts and crafts i can draw portraits,watercolor,pastels,knit,mosaic art. I just seem to scared to step towards my careers that I was once so motivated to achieve. I feel confused and afraid thats what been happening to me in my life of Epilepsy. What should I do?
The Efforts of the Young will Bring Epilepsy out of the Shadows…-
July 24th, 2010 at 9:26 am
[...] Greg Grunberg has done an excellent job of pushing the issue, as have organizations like the Epilepsy Foundation of America, its affiliates, CURE, The Danny Did Foundation. But really…is it so tough to be frank about this? Apparently, yes. [...]
Mary Ellen Ciganovich
July 31st, 2010 at 8:56 pm
I am a motivational speaker who has epilepsy. I was diagnosed at the age of 6. I am now 58! So I was diagnosed in 1958 when epilepsy was REALLY NOT spoken about. I speak to groups about epilepsy all the time as I also speak to groups about Multiple Sclerosis since I was diagnosed with that in 1986 at the age of about 38. I taught middle school for over 15 years and to look at me you would think I am one of the healthiest people on the planet. That is why I like to speak to groups about epilepsy – what it is and what it is NOT. You may contact me through my email address at mec222@aol.com or you amy call 423-653-6446.
Thanks,
Mary Ellen Ciganovich
Chattanooga,TN 37363
Alysse
August 1st, 2010 at 8:17 am
Thanks so much Mary Ellen…I will send you an email so we can connect!