Tara Murley clearly recalls the first terrifying time her daughter had a seizure.

The family was returning from holidays in Cowichan Lake, driving over the Malahat when older daughter Emily-Jane alerted her parents something was wrong with seven-year-old Jessie-Ann.

The distraught moments of dialing 9-1-1 and getting her to the hospital were just the beginning.

B次元官网网址淚t took a couple of days before they were able to diagnose what was going on,B次元官网网址� Tara explained.

Testing revealed a brain tumour completely unrelated to the seizure disorder causing the true difficulties. (The unrelated tumour is also monitored).

The multiple scans, electrodes and bloodwork revealed epilepsy.

B次元官网网址淪he took it all in stride, it was obviously most difficult the first couple of years because it takes a while to figure out the right medication,B次元官网网址� Tara said.

Medication caused physical changes but there were emotional challenges as well. Her parents shortened the leash on the then nationally ranked Scottish dancer. They took down the swing set and put the bike away.

B次元官网网址淚t was terrible at the beginning, and then you just learn to live with it,B次元官网网址� Tara said.

More than 10 years later, Jessie-Ann is a spokesperson for the illness, working toward her June graduation from Spectrum community school, and particularly proud of her Honda Prelude and the licence that goes along with that.

Now 18, she decided two years ago to take control of what she could B次元官网网址� opting to share her ordeal.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 who I am,B次元官网网址� Jessie-Ann said. B次元官网网址淏eing young and having something like that I thought people would judge me, but you canB次元官网网址檛 change it.B次元官网网址�

She bears two tattoos attributed to her dealing with the disorder. One reads B次元官网网址淚 believe in miraclesB次元官网网址� the other B次元官网网址淚 am not what has happened to me I am what I choose to become.B次元官网网址�

Now a spokesperson for , dedicated to taking action against epilepsy, sheB次元官网网址檚 putting herself forward for the cause.

B次元官网网址淲hen I was first diagnosed I didnB次元官网网址檛 know who to talk to, I feel like if I had someone younger (closer to) my age, not a doctor throwing big words in your face,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淚 can show people itB次元官网网址檚 not as scary. Not all epileptics get to be as lucky as I am.B次元官网网址�

A fellow spokesperson at E-Action lost her memories during a seizure.

March 26 Jessie-Ann hopes to dispel urban myths B次元官网网址�  she heard once that epilepsy meant she was possessed by the devil B次元官网网址� and raise awareness. March is epilepsy awareness month and March 26 is purple day.

B次元官网网址淔ive years ago a young Canadian girl, Cassidy Megan started Purple Day for Epilepsy, not just to make her school aware of what it is like to live with epilepsy, but to make the whole world aware,B次元官网网址� said Jennifer Morgan, co-ordinator at the Victoria Epilepsy and ParkinsonB次元官网网址檚 Centre.

More than 300,000 Canadians battle epilepsy every day while  another 15,000 are diagnosed with the neurological condition each year.

B次元官网网址淯nfortunately, it is still the stigma of epilepsy that makes it so difficult for people, whatever their age,B次元官网网址� said Barbara Gilmore, executive director at VEPC. B次元官网网址淟earning first aid for seizures is important. Learning that a person should not be identified by a medical condition, but by their personality, strengths and skills is what we are entitled to as a person.B次元官网网址�

Jessie-Ann is seizure free for four years and working toward eliminating epilepsy ignorance.

B次元官网网址淵ouB次元官网网址檙e not born with epilepsy, you can get it at any age,B次元官网网址� Jessie-Ann said. B次元官网网址淚 wasnB次元官网网址檛 born with it.B次元官网网址�