"Let us not wallow in the valley of despair, I say to you today, my friends." Those words were said by Dr. Martin Luther King in the 1960's, in his famous "I have a Dream Speech" at the Lincoln Memorial. Watching this speech, or even reading the text alone, will most certainly send chills down your back. He was a great man, and was correct when he said "not to judge a person by the color of their skin, but rather the content of their character." The United States and other countries around the world have come a long way, although there is still work to be done. The same could be said for seizures, as while researchers are working around the clock for a cure, SUDEP is a serious condition that many have experienced firsthand. It is a horrifying experience that words cannot articulate, and especially with regards to the autism spectrum, seizures are a component in many cases. That is why it is my dream, along with the dream of millions across the world who deal with seizures, to have that much needed cure. It is something that must be done, because even if it a seizure does not prematurely end the life of a young man or woman, it has damaging effects.
It is gut wrenching, to see a child go through seizures, and so many parents around the world feel powerless when these events occur. You wish you could take the place of your child, and take the punishment yourself, or that you could just wave a magic wand and they just disappear. Unfortunately, there's no magic wand....yet. There will be. Children with seizures will no longer lose all of their abilities from these seizures, especially developmental milestones that have sometimes taken years to achieve. Parents who have taught their children to walk, or grasp on to objects for long periods of time, will one day not have to worry about having to constantly repeat these skills one day.
Last night, I took a walk outside and looked at the Moon. It was said to be "impossible to reach." Humans have been there, done that, although it has been awhile. I thought about General Washington's impossible surprise at Trenton. And then I thought about the past twenty years of computers, and how far science has come. There wasn't any drinking at all, as while that's a variety of subjects, consider the Apple II C. When it was released it was "breath taking technology", now your toaster oven has more processing power. The same could be said for your cellphone, as that has more hardware capabilities that launched those astronauts to the Moon. That is why our dream of a cure for seizures, is not only plausible, but in my opinion its going to happen with the dedication of folks like Vanderbilt Kennedy Center's work on this area of medical science.
There is much despair right now. The valley is full of bumps, and a lot of pain. Yet there is hope, and that is the greatest of all qualities. We must not give up, as the dedication and love of so many researchers across the globe, of all backgrounds and religions are working dilligently to find the cure that is going to be breathtaking. President Kennedy's speech that described dreams as being done "not because they are easy, but because they are hard," could also be related for so many people's dream of a cure for seizures. Yet Dr. Martin Luther King said it best with "I have a Dream." We all do, and God willing it shall happen as soon as possible. Thank you to all whom are working on a cure, we are all praying for you, and waiting for the day when seizures no longer are an issue that affect so many, but yesterdays' news.
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