Seizure first aid could “easily save a life”

By: Emmi Rubera

SUNY Brockport approved a new club called Brain Power, Epilepsy Awareness on campus. This club is set to focus on spreading awareness about epilepsy and doing fundraisers to support the foundation.

According to the CDC, three million adults suffer from epilepsy. Surveys taken show patterns that many people are unaware of the prevalence of epilepsy and what to do to help.

SUNY Brockport sophomore Allyson Durkee has non-epileptic seizures from conversion disorder that is pseudo somatic caused by stress.

“I have conversion disorder which is a form of seizures that is pseudo somatic that are mental and come from stress,” says Durkee.

Durkee thinks that having a club on campus for epilepsy awareness would be a good way to help educate people and brings those who have seizures together.

“I think it’s a great way for the word to get out,” says Durkee. “A lot of people live with seizures and a lot of people struggle with them and I think this could be a good way for other people to meet people like them.”

Durkee and her friends in high school didn’t learn about seizures until after she was diagnosed with them.

“I personally was never taught anything about seizures in high school until I was diagnosed and then a lot of people learned how to help me if I ever had a seizure in front of them but it was only under the circumstance that I was diagnosed that people around me learned,” says Durkee.

Because of this Durkee believes that seizure awareness and first aid should be more openly taught and talked about as it could save lives.

“I think learning about what to do when someone is having a seizure is one of the most life-saving things someone could do,” says Durkee. “A lot of people let them lay on their back and let them go but you need to put them on their side and get everything out of their hands and mouth but so many people are unaware of what to do so I would love for more people to learn the first aid for seizures,” says Durkee.

Durkee believes the new club on campus would be a great way to start making a difference about seizures and seizure first aid.

“This club is a great idea because knowing what to do and how to help someone who is having a seizure could easily save their life,” says Durkee.

Cambrie Eckert is a sophomore at SUNY Brockport and is also the Club Representative for the Brain Power, Epilepsy Awareness club. She hopes to become better educated in epilepsy awareness and what she can do to help, considering she was not taught these things in high school.

“I actually was not taught a single thing in high school about epilepsy,” says Eckert. “So the main thing I want to get out of this club is becoming more educated, educating other people and, being able to spread more awareness about epilepsy.”

Eckert says she is glad that the club got approved and hopes it carries on for a long time.

“I am so happy Brockport approved the club, I mean if they didn’t what would be their reason? This is the first club on the campus of its kind and I really hope its continues on after I graduate,” says Eckert.

Eckert joined the club to for multiple reasons such as supporting her friend who is the president of the club.

“The reason I wanted to be a part of the club to begin with was because I wanted to do my part in spreading awareness and I also wanted to support the president of the club who is also my friend,” says Eckert.

The club had its first meeting on March 30 in the Union room 222 from 8–9 p.m. The meetings will be on Wednesdays from 8-9 p.m. and is open to all SUNY Brockport students.