(ROWLETT/GARLAND ISD, TX – May 19, 2015) Every year, the Epilepsy Foundation of America selects a small group of teens to attend a two-day conference focused on public policy and medical advancements in the field of epilepsy. Rowlett High School student Cole Pettit was one of just 40 teens from across the country invited to the Teens Speak Up! conference, held in April in Washington, D.C.
“It was an honor to participate in Teens Speak Up!,” Pettit said. “Living with epilepsy has been hard, but I am very fortunate and want to help other kids who still need a cure. I had my first seizure when I was five. They continued for ten years, and I tried nine different medications. Thankfully, I was able to have surgery and have been seizure-free for almost two years.”
In addition to meeting other peers with epilepsy, discussing political issues and discovering the latest medical developments, Pettit was also able to participate in the National Walk for Epilepsy and meet with government officials.
“Cole met with congressional representatives, senators and legislative staff to share stories about living with epilepsy. He and fellow participants also encouraged support for legislation and funding that would improve the lives of people with this condition,” states a written press release.
Medical research funding, drug approval process legislation, and a new drug therapy for treating uncontrolled seizures known as CBD oil were some of the topics discussed.
And to keep the enlightening experience alive in their hometowns, every participant must develop a one-year, epilepsy-centered community service action plan. Pettit will fulfill this mission by serving as a counselor at one of his favorite childhood destinations—Camp Spike-N-Wave, a camp made specifically for kids aged 8-14 with epilepsy.
Story by Caren Rodriguez, Garland Independent School District Staff Writer. Photo courtesy of Kelley Pettit.
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