Author Archives: DHamel

Living with epilepsy led student to a new academic path

February 12, 2025

By Deron Hamel

It was William Fisher’s experience with epilepsy that inspired him to pursue studies and a career that will help him better understand seizure disorders and help others whose lives are impacted by the condition.

William Fisher, pictured above, is one of four recipients of a 2024 Epilepsy Ontario scholarship.

William experienced his first tonic-clonic seizure in 2017. Soon after, he began experiencing regular tonic-clonic seizures, resulting in many hospitalizations.

At the time, he was pursuing an undergraduate degree in kinesiology and, despite the new health challenges, he attempted to continue his studies.

It was when he had a seizure during a lecture and woke up the next day in hospital that he says his life changed.

“That was the reality check that I needed to pause my studies and focus on my health,” William tells Voices of Epilepsy.

Throughout 2018 and 2019, William worked with his medical team to manage his seizures. He also had an epiphany as to where he wanted to focus his studies. When he returned to school, he enrolled in a cognitive neuroscience course that, he says, “felt profoundly relevant to my new experience.”

“This led me to switch my major to psychology and focus the final years of my undergraduate degree on studying cognitive neuroscience,” William says.

William also began working in two cognitive neuroscience laboratories that conduct research on human memory. He is now in his second year of a master’s degree program at York University where he researches episodic memory.

“I continue to manage my epilepsy, I live independently with my partner and our dog, I am studying, researching and working in a field that I am passionate about, and my epilepsy has played a huge role in leading me to where I am today; these all feel like triumphs,” he says.

Using his education, William says his aim is to have a positive impact on the epilepsy community. He plans to continue focusing his studies on the episodic memory system, a property of memory that is very commonly impaired in people living with epilepsy.

“I aim to contribute to our growing understanding of this complex cognitive function and further contribute to techniques and intervention methods that can help improve episodic memory,” he says. “As well, I aim to continue as a registered peer-to-peer support with Epilepsy Toronto as I continue this journey.”

William is one of four recipients of Epilepsy Ontario’s 2024 scholarship. For more than 15 years, Epilepsy Ontario has been providing scholarships to exceptional students who have confronted and overcome remarkable barriers in their academic and personal lives due to their epilepsy.

 

Controlling his epilepsy has helped student pursue passion for mechanics

January 9, 2025

By Deron Hamel

For as long as he can remember, Samuel Rheault says he’s had a keen interest in mechanics. In addition to having an aptitude for working with motors, he says mechanics always helped him forget about the challenges he faced living with epilepsy.

Samuel Rheault, pictured above, is one of four recipients of a 2024 Epilepsy Ontario scholarship.

Today, with his epilepsy controlled by medication, and with the help of an Epilepsy Ontario scholarship, Samuel is studying to become an automotive technician.

Samuel, who lives in northern Ontario, was diagnosed with epilepsy and a benign brain tumour when he was 13. His condition took another 14 years to control with medication, he says.

“It was quite a traumatizing event in my life,” Samuel, now 28, tells Voices of Epilepsy. “It changed my whole way of life.”

Before his epilepsy was under control, Samuel says his condition was impacting his work life because he was having seizures on the job, so having his epilepsy controlled was a major step forward, he says.

Samuel has not had a seizure since December 2022.

With his health improving, Samuel decided to pursue his post-secondary education in 2023 and achieved a 3.91 grade-point average in his first year at Northern College. He is now in his second year of the automotive technician program.

Aside from his student life, Samuel has advocated for people living with epilepsy to help them cope with their condition. He has also instructed people on how to respond to someone having a seizure.

Samuel is one of four recipients of Epilepsy Ontario’s 2024 annual scholarship. He says his scholarship will help with his residence fees, food and gym membership. Samuel adds that keeping active at his gym is important to his health.

“I like to keep in shape because being physically active helps my body and my mind, and also helps me absorb my medication better,” he says.

For more than 15 years, Epilepsy Ontario has been providing scholarships to exceptional students who have confronted and overcome remarkable barriers in their academic and personal lives due to their epilepsy.

Epilepsy strengthens student’s compassion, leading her towards a nursing career

December 4, 2024

By Deron Hamel

If there’s one thing Allison Landry says she’s learned from living with epilepsy, it’s the value of having compassion for others.

Pictured above, Allison Landry is one of four recipients of Epilepsy Ontario’s 2024 scholarships. Allison is working towards a degree in nursing.

And her compassion for others is what is leading her down a career path to becoming a nurse, a dream Allison has had all her life.

But it’s not a path she thought she’d be able to take after being diagnosed with a seizure disorder in Grade 9.

“I felt like this path was closed to me,” Allison says. “It was very hard for me to accept my new realities and adapt my dreams and goals. But I did. I started to focus on the small wins, and I worked very hard to graduate high school.”

Before her diagnosis, Allison says school was easy for her, but seizures created learning challenges she had to overcome.

Allison recently had surgery that has had positive results. She has also been accepted into a nursing entry pathway at university.

“It is an unexpected career path,” she says, “but I am so proud to be able to work towards becoming a nurse and helping others.

“I feel that I have an in-depth understanding of the compassion required to be a great nurse due to my times spent in hospital after my resections. I understand that people are scared and may not be themselves when they are in hospital, and I hope I can treat them as many of my great nurses treated me.”

Allison says once she completes her nursing education she wants to work in a small-town hospital. Growing up in a small, northern community, Allison says she felt alone as someone living with epilepsy. She says she wants to change that by being an inspiration to others – something she’s already doing.

“I want people to know that they are not alone,” she says. “I hope to help others in small communities feel connected and heard. I have let my family doctor know that he is able to give my name out as a resource for anyone diagnosed with epilepsy and needs someone to talk to.”

Since Allison has to travel 1,300 kilometres for specialist appointments, she and her mother help others with the logistics of travelling when they need specialist care, she adds.

Allison is one of four recipients of Epilepsy Ontario’s 2024 annual scholarship. For more than 15 years, Epilepsy Ontario has been providing scholarships to exceptional students who have confronted and overcome remarkable barriers in their academic and personal lives due to their epilepsy.

Allison says her scholarship will help make her dream of becoming a nurse come true.

“The scholarship will allow me to concentrate on school and myself, without worrying so much about finances,” she says.

New case manager is connecting people with the epilepsy services they need

June 25, 2024

By Deron Hamel

Josh Gieg says the most exciting part of his new position as Epilepsy Ontario’s case manager is connecting people living in under-served areas of Ontario with epilepsy services.

Josh Gieg, pictured above, is Epilepsy Ontario’s new case manager.

Josh, who stepped into his role May 29, also says he enjoys promoting collaboration and diversity within the epilepsy community.

But helping people with epilepsy and their families who are living in remote regions of the province connect with the services they need is what feels most rewarding, he says.

“I’m really excited to be in a position to connect with those folks who may not have access to those same services that others do in other regions of the province,” Josh tells Voices of Epilepsy.

As case manager, Josh also provides individual counselling and group support to people accessing Epilepsy Ontario’s services.

When people recently diagnosed with a seizure disorder need help navigating the system, Josh is there to offer education, advocacy and support catered to their individual needs.

Josh says he’s also looking forward to providing the HOBSCOTCH (Home-based Self-management and Cognitive Training) and UPLIFT (Using Practice and Learning to Increase Favourable Thoughts) programs, which have been specifically designed for individuals impacted by epilepsy.

Josh received an honours degree in psychology from the University of Guelph in 2021. After completing his education, Josh took a job as case manager at Epilepsy South Central Ontario (ESCO) overseeing the agency’s adult and family services, a position he continues to hold on a part-time basis.

Looking ahead, Josh says there are many opportunities for him to make a difference in people’s lives by advocating for them, creating a sense of belonging, raising awareness and reducing epilepsy’s stigma.

“I have been a part of this epilepsy community for close to three years now, and in this new role I am just so excited to carry forward with that work while also being able to serve people in areas that may not have had these services prior,” he says.

“I’m just really looking forward to making that difference.”