By Jepkemei Kibet
Diagnosed with mild cerebral palsy at only seven months old and with epilepsy at 10 years old, Nancy Kimining has never let the conditions define her future. Despite the challenges, Kimining, 30, has run the Epileptic Foundation based in Eldoret, Uasin Gishu County.
“It hasn’t been an easy journey but the voice of persons with disabilities has to be heard. This is what has kept me going,” Ms Kimining said. Under the care of her mother, Kimining had an ordinary childhood. She attended regular schools and friends that would stick with her through thick and thin. Her family has also always been her anchor, she says.
“Not all have supported me on my family’s side but I’ve always have a solid team beside me including my parents, aunties, uncles and cousins,” she said. Her first episode broke out at the age of ten. She was then living with her aunt. Her mother was working in Nairobi.
Ms Kimining was supposed to be getting ready for school when the house help found her having tremors. The tremors lasted for about five minutes. Two weeks later, her mother traveled to Nakuru and the episode re-occurred. A visit to the doctor revealed that she was epileptic.
“I was put on medication, and though there were some side effects, I felt much better and the seizures minimized,” said Ms Kimining. She later transferred from a day school to a boarding facility, in Kabarak, finally feeling accepted and understood. She made new friends and the school staff made her feel welcome. “When I visited Kabarak, I fell in love with the school.
What I liked most was the swimming pool,” she remembered while smiling. She added, “I would have sessions with the school chaplain when I felt overwhelmed and he would encourage me. I cannot forget our matron who opened her home to me when I had episodes.”
However, her defining moment that led to acceptance came when she was in secondary school in Nakuru. She met friends who had families living with Epilepsy and was surprised that one could actually lived an ordinary life with the condition. “I ate a balanced diet meal always rich in calcium and iron,” she said. She also minimised stress and the total lifestyle change had a big impact on her wellbeing, she has not had a seizure for the last 14 years.
Ms Kimining completed her secondary education and proceeded to study a journalism at a college in Eldoret. She then worked as a journalist at a Christian station based in Eldoret. She has also worked at National Council for Persons with Disabilities in Nakuru before starting her foundation.
The foundation currently has 100 members. It also creates awareness for the condition and runs rescue and medical programs in partnership with the county government of Uasin Gishu. Ms Kimiming has also authored a book “Living with an Epileptic Person”.
According to Mayo Clinic, epilepsy is a neurological disorder in which brain activity becomes abnormal, causing seizures or periods of unusual behavior, sensations, and sometimes loss of awareness. Seizure symptoms can vary. Some people with epilepsy simply stare blankly Nancy Kimining for a few seconds during a seizure, while others repeatedly twitch their arms or legs.
Having a seizure does not mean you have epilepsy. At least two unprovoked seizures are generally required for an epilepsy diagnosis. Epilepsy and seizures can develop in any person at any age but are more common in young children and older people. 1 in 26 people will develop epilepsy in their lifetime. People with certain conditions may be at greater risk.
It is the fourth most common neurological condition which affects more than 65 million people worldwide. In order to diagnose epilepsy, a doctor reviews the symptoms and medical history and may order several tests to diagnose and determine the cause of seizures.
The evaluation may include a neurological exam based on one’s behavior, motor abilities, mental function and other areas and blood tests. While most patients can become seizure-free by taking one anti-seizure medication, which is also called antiepileptic medication, others may be able to decrease the frequency and intensity of their seizures by taking a combination of medications.
