Nearly five million people all over the world are diagnosed with epilepsy each year. Epilepsy can become prevalent in a person at any age, unexpectedly occurring at any point in their lifetime. For freshman Anna Beers, it’s only been a few months since she was diagnosed. 

  “[Epilepsy] has really affected my outlook on life honestly because a lot has happened in five months. I think I’ve grown since my first month because that was a really hard [time] for me. I think that it’s really helped me become a more independent person,” Beers said.

  The Epilepsy Foundation of Michigan is a non-profit organization that has helped Beers and her family since her diagnosis. After all their help, Beers decided to do something for the organization in return. 

  “The foundation really did a lot for my parents when I first got epilepsy and so I reached out to them when I joined Student Senate,” Beers said. 

  Her fundraiser, which took place on Monday, Nov. 7, raised over $600. The fundraiser offered a donut party to the second-hour class that collected the most money. She spent most of her own time organizing the fundraiser.

  “I mostly did it all myself, I put boxes in all the second-hour classes and I had people try to wear purple if they could, and then donate,” Beers said. 

  Besides donating, there are other ways that people can help those who are diagnosed with epilepsy. For people who are prone to seizures, first aid training can be really helpful. It can come in handy in cases that aren’t even related to epilepsy. Both parties can benefit from first-aid training because those with training can help out in a situation when someone has a seizure.

  “First aid training is really good because anyone can do it and it really just prepares you. If [you] were just walking in the hallway and you saw someone having a seizure, you’d be able to help them. It’s a really good thing to just have,” Beers said. 

  Seizures can come in lots of forms, and sometimes, it’s hard to tell if someone may be having one or not. It’s always helpful to check on someone if they seem off. 

  “It’s honestly just nice to check up on someone if you even don’t know if they’re okay because sometimes you could be having a seizure, even if you’re just staring,” Beers said.