Makayla Benkula first came to us two years ago as a participant at Camp Brainstorm, a camp for children living with epilepsy. Benkula started having seizures when she was three and was diagnosed with epilepsy at 11. Makayla said she struggled in school because people were not educated about her condition. Makayla’s mother said she was labeled as a “behavior problem child” because she would stand up and yell during a seizure.

Makayla and congressman John Carter
Makayla shares her experience with epilepsy with congressman John Carter (TX-31).
“My teacher made me stand in front of class while I had a seizure because she wasn’t educated about how to recognize seizures and thought I was acting out,” said Makayla.

Makayla’s experiences have made her passionate about advocating for continued funding of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s epilepsy program. Makayla was selected to be a teen advocate for the Speak Up Speak Out program. She had the opportunity to travel to Capitol Hill and advocate for over 500,000 Texans living with epilepsy and having seizures. While there, she met congressman John Carter (TX-31). She shared her experiences and asked for continued funding to ensure the safety and health of people with epilepsy.

Many people are not educated about epilepsy and don’t know what to do when someone is having a seizure. Seizure training increases community knowledge and reduces the stigma around epilepsy. The Epilepsy Foundation Central & South Texas provides education and seizure training to schools, school nurses, EMS and law enforcement. Makayla’s advocacy for CDC funding makes this community education possible.

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