Serpentine local and WA thoroughbred trainer Misty Bazeley has joined Seville Grove Community Advocate Melissa Northcott as they combine to bring epilepsy, seizures and Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy (SUDEP) out of the shadows by being Step 4 Epilepsy WA Ambassadors.
The two are seeking those that want to register and assist to bring awareness, education and reduced stigma to a condition that affects one in 25.
Misty and Melissa are calling for everyday people to step up, register, fundraise and most importantly have fun while raising awareness and support for a not-for-profit.
For Misty, being an ambassador is extra personal, as she was diagnosed with epilepsy at 35 years of age after a serious fall as a jockey.
Whilst she is still involved in the racing industry as a trainer, she hopes that being an ambassador will show children, adults and those within any sporting code that just because they have epilepsy, they can still live their lives. It just might be a different career path, or a different way of doing things.
“Until I was diagnosed after my race fall, I had a very uneducated view of epilepsy and seizures. They weren’t talked about and I never knew anyone growing up that had the condition. It was a shock to my system of how common epilepsy is. I felt I was suffering alone in the beginning,” said Misty.
As a community advocate, person with disability and former elected member, Seville Grove local Melissa Northcott, who advocates for Epilepsy WA, expressed a passionate desire to bring epilepsy to the public’s attention.
“Every day people go around town, whether it is to school, work, sports, gym or just life in general, walking is involved, so why not step for epilepsy and help raise awareness and funds so that vital support groups, seizure first aid training, seizure alert devices, education campaigns and community programs can continue in WA,” Melissa said.
“As a person with a disability, if I can step for epilepsy, it shows that disability doesn’t define me, and no matter what disability you have or what device you need to use to walk, we can all, as a community and as a state, stand and walk together for a cause that affects so many.
“You don’t have to step 10,000 times a day. You get to set your own challenge and goal, doing more or less. Every step counts.”
Step 4 Epilepsy WA will run from 1 to 30 September. Registration can be made at www.step4epilepsywa.com.au.
