Lauren Vale was diagnosed with epilepsy at the age of 18. Lauren has persevered through the difficulties presented by her epilepsy and has made it a priority to overcome the obstacles she has been faced with. Her diagnosis and struggles have motivated her to drive change within our community.
The stigma behind epilepsy is a daily struggle for many individuals affected by the condition. Lauren expressed that one of the greatest challenges—and one of the most significant—was overcoming the various stigmas linked to her diagnosis. Lauren equipped herself with the proper tools to manage the different mental/emotional situations without denying that epilepsy is part of who she is and that she should never have to be ashamed of that. Acknowledging that she lives with a chronic illness, she understands that her diagnosis does not diminish her worth. In fact, it now empowers her to face unfamiliar and often intimidating circumstances with resilience.
Another challenge Lauren has struggled with since her diagnosis has been finding the proper treatment for her seizures. The search for an effective treatment option can be a lengthy and frustrating experience for many individuals living with epilepsy. This journey was something that Lauren can truly relate to. Lauren is currently prescribed daily medications that she has found helpful and successful in controlling her seizure activity. Lauren noted that another important part of managing one’s epilepsy diagnosis is finding a neurologist that understands your needs and takes the time to connect with you. She stated that she believes having a good neurologist is greatly impactful for stabilizing and controlling your personal epilepsy experiences. Unfortunately, Lauren is not seizure free and still experiences breakthrough seizures once every few months. Lauren shared there have been stretches of time when she has been seizure free for up to 3 years and that she is “always striving for a seizure free future!”
Laurens journey and experience with her own diagnosis over the years has made her realize that she wants to help even more within the epilepsy community. She hopes to become more immersed within a community of individuals who have faced and continue to face similar struggles to hers and share her story to help them overcome these challenges. She also shared that she would like to take more time to understand and listen to how others with epilepsy overcome their struggles and become as educated as possible by attending more educational events presented by EFNENY.
Lauren recently joined The Epilepsy Foundation of Northeastern New York (EFNENY) team as a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Service Coordinator and looks forward to growing with the team! Before her current position, she was the Operations Coordinator at Cornell Cooperative Extension in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Education Program (SNAP-Ed).
Lauren said she hopes to instill in others that epilepsy is not something to be afraid of or ashamed of but, is instead a learning opportunity for those who do not understand what is happening while someone is having a seizure. She shared with us that she believes society could benefit from more public knowledge and understanding.
What does Lauren want others to know about epilepsy?
“I want others to know that epilepsy does not define anyone who is afflicted by it.”
