We celebrate another woman epilepsy warrior, Courage Sheimbom, a 24yrs old nurse living with epilepsy in Cameroon. She has been living with epilepsy for 16years. She had her first seizure when she was one month but had no further seizures until when she was 8 years old. Her parents took her to a health facility where she was subsequently diagnosed with epilepsy and started on Valproic acid. Though she had good seizure control with Valproic acid, the drug was not always in regular supply; a common challenge in epilepsy management.

Misled by public opinion and faced with the inconsistent supply of anti-epileptic drugs, her parents decided to try herbal medicine and native doctors but none of these made the situation better. Instead, her seizures became more severe and frequent leading to multiple scars from falls.

The worsening of her seizures prompted her parents to take her back to the health facility where she had been receiving treatment initially. She was placed on Valproic acid, Carbamazepine and Phenytoin since she had failed to achieve good seizure control with monotherapy and bitherapy. The triple anti-epileptic drugs were not helping her.

In 2022, she became one of the beneficiaries of Levetiracetam that is donated by @Row Foundation. Today, she has been able to achieve good seizure control and this has significantly improved her quality of life. She works as a nurse and is volunteering with us as a peer educator. She uses her story to inspire and encourage other girls with epilepsy.

We love and celebrate you great warrior 💜

Keep being a shining light for many girls with epilepsy!