Brave teens advocate for epilepsy awareness

Kristina Foster is not afraid to speak up when it comes to talking about epilepsy; in fact, the teenager recently shared her story on the steps of Capitol Hill.

The Kempsville High School senior was selected to speak on the west front steps during a press event in celebration of the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act Victory Rally on Sept. 17.

"I love doing things to support other people with epilepsy," said Kristina, 17, who was diagnosed in the sixth grade.

"A lot of people feel ashamed of epilepsy because of the stigma surrounding it, but the disease doesn't define you."

Sara-Elizabeth Clark, a seventh-grader organizing the third annual Sara's Walk for Epilepsy This young girl really inspires and motivates us all to do the best we can in spite all circumstances.
Her words and optimistic attitude after a living all her life fighting against epilepsy and leading a winner's life, her web site where she declares her refusal to be classified as a child with idiopathic benign epilepsy saying "It is not who I am" can be of motivation and inspiration to others. She has inspired me and taught me new valuable priceless lessons as I read about her life and words.

"It is not who I am"

Of course not .....you are a blessing!

Sara-Elizabeth Clark

"Epilepsy hasn't changed my life in any way besides the fact that I'm helping others with it," she said. "It's a good thing, if you put it to the right use."

GARDINER - This is not a story about the hundreds of volunteers, the donors, the committee, SUNY New Paltz staff, nonprofit groups or national radio personalities who have all gotten behind a walk to raise money for epilepsy patients on Saturday.

This is a story about the 13-year-old girl who put it all together.

Sara-Elizabeth Clark, a seventh-grader at New Paltz Middle School, is organizing the third annual Sara's Walk for Epilepsy at the SUNY New Paltz campus Saturday to benefit the Epilepsy Foundation of Northeastern New York.

She said she got the idea when she saw her family participating in events to raise money for autism, breast cancer and other conditions.

"I wanted to know why there weren't any epilepsy walks," she said.

Clark has idiopathic benign childhood epilepsy, but the address for her Web site - www.itsnotwhoiam.com - underscores her refusal to be defined by it. She'd rather be known for what she does; hence the walk.