EPILEPSY AWARENESS MONTH

EPILEPSY AWARENESS MONTH

Three stories

Epilepsy is a disorder characterized by recurrent and unprovoked seizures and temporary impairment of brain function. There is no known cure; it afflicts 2 million Americans. Here are three Mahoning Valley people — two with the disorder and the other whose son is epileptic:

PATRICIA DAVIS

Residence: Boardman.

Age: 59.

Age diagnosed: 21.

Occupation: Former high school teacher in Columbiana.

Family: Two grown children.

Quote: “People don’t understand epilepsy and are afraid of it and you.”

THOMAS CAPP

Residence: Austintown.

Age: 50.

Age diagnosed: 17.

Occupation: Painter, brick layer, machinist, tool and die maker, artist.

Quote: “I’d get jobs, but when the benefits kicked in, they’d let me go.”

SPARKLE SANDERS

(Her son, DaVail, 4, was diagnosed with epilepsy at 3 months).

Residence: Youngstown.

Age: 27.

Occupation: Volunteer coordinator and monitor of supervised parent/child visits at Hope House. Has an associate degree in social services from Youngstown State University and is studying toward a bachelor’s degree in social work.

Quote: “I believe things happen for a reason. DaVail gives me motivation to keep going and achieve more.”

Source: Mahoning Valley Epilepsy Fund