Our most cherished moments during our Walks To End Epilepsy is seeing people connect together to form a community.  At our events, sharing stories with each other helps us gain insight, inspiration, and the knowledge that we are not alone. Your story is one of the most potent implements you own; why not share it?

                Graduating from college is a difficult task to complete. Along with all the good, there is also a lot of stress one deals with when attending college. Now imagine that same stress while having irregular electrical activity in your brain that can affect your mood, memory, and thinking. That is what it’s like to attend college with epilepsy.

In the United States, less than 17% of people with a disability complete a bachelor’s degree. However, San Antonio native Hannah Dunn beat those odds when we graduated in 2016. Now, with a Bachelor’s in Business Administration from Texas A&M San Antonio, Hannah is currently working on a Medical Coding Certificate.

                At the age of eight, Hannah was diagnosed with epilepsy after having several absence seizures. Hannah’s mother continued to push her to perform well in school and gave her the support she needed. Not only can epilepsy affect a child’s performance in the classroom, but it can also make them feel excluded or different from the other children. With her mother’s support, Hannah was able to succeed in school, but more importantly, she never felt alone.

At 16, Hannah’s seizures went dormant, and it wasn’t until a stressful year in college they decided to reappear. A 20-year old Hannah suffered her first grand mal seizure. Stress can be a trigger for seizures in many, and with the stress of both a job and full-time course load, Hannah’s seizures reappeared. However, Hannah didn’t let this stop her from succeeding. She transferred to a university closer to home and continued in her studies. Hannah is now seven years seizure-free and is continuing her education! Hannah is a perfect example of how perseverance can help you attain anything, and how people with epilepsy are resilient in the face of difficult circumstances. It’s important to continue striving towards your goals even if it means pivoting a few times. We wish you the best in your future, Hannah!

This story is a part of our IM OK Walk to END EPILEPSY – Austin Walk Week! Thank you, Hannah, for sharing your story with us and allowing us to share your story with our epilepsy community. If you haven’t already, head to Walk2ENDEPILEPSY.com to register today!

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