Fourteen-year-old Carlos Galvez was diagnosed with epilepsy in December 2022. As an 8th grade middle schooler, this diagnosis brought obstacles and presented challenges not only for Carlos, but his family.
Carlos’s mother, Sara Lopez, explained that ever since Carlos was diagnosed with epilepsy, it became incumbent upon her to research what epilepsy is and how it affects her son. During this research, Sara came across Epilepsy Alliance Florida’s Instagram page and was relieved to see there’s an organization in her area that assists people living with the disease. Soon after, Carlos became a member of Epilepsy Alliance Florida – primarily for Sara to obtain more information on epilepsy and learn what steps to take to get the necessary care for her son. Although Sara had an initial idea of what to expect from the organization, she didn’t realize the many services the program can offer and just how much assistance they could benefit from.
Sara explained that before being a part of Epilepsy Alliance Florida, she didn’t know what an Individualized Education Program (IEP) or Seizure Action Plan (SAP) is and how these resources are important services Carlos would need to meet his educational needs in the classroom. Even though Carlos had just been registered with Epilepsy Alliance Florida, he was quickly connected to start the process of obtaining an IEP for his school. Sara also shared how, thanks to Epilepsy Alliance Florida, she was able to learn about obtaining coverage for Carlos through Medicaid which helped them secure a follow-up appointment with a neurologist.
Sara said, “Thanks to the help of Epilepsy Alliance Florida, I’m now aware of the resources available for Carlos, including the assistance of the organization with Carlos’s school, and I don’t feel as lost as I did before when I was just surfing around Google trying to find more information on what epilepsy is. I would recommend this service to anyone in the community, not just people who suffer from epilepsy. There is a lot of information I wouldn’t have otherwise known, had it not been for this organization.”
Looking ahead, Carlos and his mom, Sara, will take part in the many events and activities Epilepsy Alliance Florida has to offer, including its annual Walk the Talk fundraiser. They can’t wait to enjoy these opportunities together.
