Dancing Through Epilepsy
- Sep 30, 2025
- 3 min read
Updated: Feb 21
Founder’s Notes: Why I Joined the 1IN100 Challenge with Epilepsy Canada
At 17 years old, without warning or family history, I had my first seizure.
It would take years before I had answers.
Epilepsy wasn’t something I had ever thought about before that moment. I didn’t know what it meant to live with it. I didn’t know it would quietly become part of my identity. And I definitely didn’t know that, decades later, I would still be navigating it.
The unpredictability is something you never fully get used to. There is always that quiet question in the back of my mind: when will the next one happen? And there have been moments of frustration, moments of loss, and moments of feeling different from everyone else.
Epilepsy has impacted my confidence. It has affected my independence. It has required adjustments that most people never have to think about. It has taken a toll not only on me, but on my family, the people who worry, who watch, who support, and who step in when needed.
And yet, it has also shaped me in ways I never expected.
Living with epilepsy has taught me resilience in a very real way. The kind where you fall down, recover, regroup, and keep going anyway, every time.
It has taught me self-compassion. To accept that sometimes my body has limits. To rest without guilt. To be kinder to myself when things don’t go as planned.
It has taught me honesty. To acknowledge that I carry something invisible.
And most of all, it has taught me love. The unconditional love of family and friends who stand by me through uncertainty and recovery.
I am deeply grateful that despite living with epilepsy, I am able to lead what most would consider a normal life. I run a business. I work. I travel. I dance. I show up.
Many people living with epilepsy cannot say the same.
That’s why I joined the Epilepsy Canada 1IN100 Challenge.
In Canada, 1 in 100 people live with epilepsy. I am one of them.
The 1IN100 Challenge invites people across the country to move 100km throughout October, in whatever way works for them. Together, we’re raising awareness, breaking down stigma, and taking steps toward a better future for everyone impacted by epilepsy.
The 1IN100 Challenge is more than a fundraiser. For me, it is a statement.
For years, I kept this part of my life quiet. It felt easier that way. I was ashamed to be different. I was angry that I had limitations others didn’t, like when I was at the Great Barrier Reef and could not dive, or when I went years without driving.
But vulnerability builds connection. And connection builds change.
Epilepsy is part of my story. It is not the whole story, but it has shaped how I work, how I lead, and how I persevere.
If sharing this helps even one person feel less alone, it is worth it.
Every step I take during this challenge is for the 1 in 100 Canadians living with epilepsy. For children still searching for answers. For families navigating the unknown. For adults who carry it quietly.
And yes, for myself too.
By donating, you’ll be helping move research forward and bringing hope to thousands across Canada. Whether it’s $10, $25, or more, your support means the world to me.
Thank you for reading.
Thank you for supporting.
And thank you for standing with the 1 in 100.
Pam 💜
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