Epilepsy is a neurological condition that affects more than 2 million people in the United States. In the next year over 150,000 cases will be diagnosed, and out of that number there will be at least 50,000 people in the State of Mississippi that will be treated for this condition. Epilepsy is diagnosed once a person has two or more unprovoked seizures. This condition does not discriminate due to age, gender or color. Any one at any time in their lives can be diagnosed with Epilepsy.

Those are the sobering facts that have impacted the lives of Jarrod Hankins, 19, of Laurel, along with his family. Jarrod was diagnosed a little over five years ago with Epilepsy. Once he had all the tests and the confirmation came, not only was Jarrod at a point of feeling helpless, his mother, Kameye Hankins, also felt at a loss, not knowing much about the condition but also feeling as if she was letting her son down, because in her words, “I am his mother, and it’s my job to help him and there were no hard-core answers as to what to expect in the future.”

It was at this point that the journey started for Jarrod and his Mom. Looking back to the beginning they both feel that they were put on this journey for a reason.

To start with, they were referred to Dr. Tanious of Jefferson Medical in Laurel. In Jarrod’s words, “He is more than a doctor, he is more than my friend, and I consider him part of my family.”

Both Jarrod and Kameye will tell anyone that having a strong relationship with a doctor you can trust is the most important key to living a normal life with Epilepsy. You have to have someone that will listen to your concerns, and someone that stays on top of every possible new treatment that may be available. Jarrod and Kameye both know that they have that in Dr. Tanious.

In October of 2008, Jarrod was referred to Birmingham, Ala., to UAB for further tests and to see if he was a candidate for one of the surgeries that is now available to treat Epilepsy. After a week of tests and meetings with doctors, it was determined that he is not a candidate, but one of the best feelings in the world is to hear a team of doctors from a research hospital tell you that your doctor in Laurel is giving him the same treatment that we would if he were our patient. According to Kameye, “That right there said it all for me. I knew in my heart that we had the best doctor, but to hear these men and women verify it, well, I knew that it was God’s plan for us to be exactly where we were.”

Once they returned from Birmingham, the journey took on a different path. According to Kameye, she and Jarrod were even more determined to start a Support Group in the area since there was not an available group anywhere south of Jackson. They both talked about it with each other and had the blessings of Dr. Tanious, and the work began. It took running into a few road blocks but with each one, it seemed that the determination from both would escalate. Finally, with the help of Dr. Tanious and the support of South Central Regional Medical Center, their dream became a reality in September of this year.

According to Jarrod, “This is something that I feel that I need and want to do. If I would have had someone my age to talk to when I was first diagnosed, I would not have felt as alone as I did. I want others to know that they are not alone, and I want others to know that life is as normal as you make it. I am a full time college student and I work 25 to 30 hours a week. If we can all meet for an hour or so and talk about what helps each of us get through some of the rough times, then that’s what we will do.

“Your family is very important through all of this, and they will do what they can, but there are times that no matter how hard they try to understand, it’s just not the same as sitting right there with others going through the same exact things as you. It is a network of people that understand each other. I just hate this was not here from the beginning for me, but I now know that I will help someone else, and that’s what makes this journey of Epilepsy that I live every day, worth it. I know in my heart that I can and will make a difference in someone’s life.”

For Kameye, the support group means connecting with other parents. It also means that watching her son open up to others, and to have the opportunity to help others, her dream has also become a reality. “This means that not only has he became a young man that is dealing with Epilepsy, he has taken a situation that could have been absolutely devastating, and turned it around to be one of the most positive events not only for him, but for others. I now can look back and see that God has truly had his hand on us this entire time. Everything happens for a reason, and I truly believe that Jarrod was chosen because he will make a difference to more than one person.”

The main goal for Jarrod and Kameye is awareness.

The next support group meeting for the surrounding areas is scheduled for Dec. 10, at 6 p.m. at South Central Regional Medical Center’s Conference Room C, located on the first floor of the hospital. For more information, please call 601-319-0554 or send an e-mail to support4ep@gmail.com.