Who are you? Are you an activist, do you volunteer in a soup kitchen, animal shelter, etc? I want to know what you do or have done to make a difference.
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This IS who I am, who are you?
This IS who I am:
June 2010:
Hi Sara, this is who i am...
Channing S. of Aspen Co. said: I was born and raised in Aspen, Colorado. I had my first seizure when I was nine years old. In seventh grade I was diagnosed with Juvenille Myoclonic Epilepsy after having over eighty five tonic clonic seizures as well as myoclonic jerks and absence seizures. I am now sixteen years old and will turn seventeen on July 2. I go to the Aspen Public School District and am now a senior in high school. First entering the school district being diagnosed with epilepsy was hard due to the social aspect of it, but as well as dealing with the school's protocol. I live two minutes away of from the Aspen High School and they still called an ambulance every time I had a seizure in class. It took years of educating them on epilepsy until they felt comfortable enough to wait for the convulsions to stop and my parents to arrive. I guess you could say I paved the way for other epileptics who enter the Aspen School District and don't want to have to wake up in an ambulance with an IV in them.
Because I live in a major ski town and was on skies at eighteen months
old, there's no way I was going to stop. As a family, we came up with the idea of a climbing harness (with the leg straps cut off) that goes through the belt loops of my ski pants. Then by using a carabiner, we attached a daisy chain to it which when I ski just goes in my pocket.
When I'm on the chairlift however, I take the daisy chain, throw it around the back of the chair lift, and then connect it to the carabiner so if I have a seizure on the chairlift I am strapped in. I went through the freestyle skiing program at Aspen Valley Ski/Snowboard Club. Now if anyone has epilepsy and wants to enter the program, they can! I am now a ski coach for the Aspen Ski Co. and the freestyle program at Aspen Valley Ski Club. I have my own group of kids that I teach every Winter and every Winter I give them the
epilepsy speech so they know what to do. I always ski with another adult so I am never alone. To work for Aspen Ski Co, I had to get my teaching certificate. So now I am part of Professional Ski Instructors of America.
Aspen Valley Ski Club nominated me for the Henry Filp Award, and they allowed me to work at the X-Games for two nights. Jumping horses is where my dedication and passion is though. I started riding when I was five years old and haven't stopped. I have owned two previous horses Lexus and Snowflake, who helped me get to the level I am at now. Right now I jump four feet and three inches on my horse named Perla. I compete at three and a half feet all over Colorado and parts of California. Horsing has led me to a crazy dream of competing in the Olympics and the opportunity of riding other people's horses as a job. Tomorrow some friends of mine are going to teach me how to do eventing...jumping through water and over logs and bushes. As far as safety goes, I get the helmet that passes european standardized tests not american, I never ride alone, and each horse I compete on always
stops when I have a seizure on them because they can sense something's
wrong. I work for the manager of Cozy Point Ranch, which is where I ride, to help pay the board. She has taught me how to give shots to horses, cows, and dogs, as well as treat puncture wounds. Through riding, I have learned that I want to become a vet-tech when I grow up and a professional rider. In my free time I intern at the Glenwood Vet Clinic. All the vets that teach me know I have epilepsy and know what to do should something happen. We have created little cards with contact information, medication, what to do, what not to do, and little details that we give to everyone I am around so they have it on them at all times.
The first week in March of every year is always fun. The Shining Starts Foundation brings fifty terminally ill kids to Aspen, and I get to voulunteer my time and help. Except I don't really help, I just play poker with them, teach them to ski, we have a dance night, so it's more play than help, but it's also one of the saddest moments of your life when make a connection with someone and try to call them and find out that they've passed away. It puts thing in perspective for you on how little your life is effected by epilepsy. I haven't made nearly the impact you have, but I write to the President once a month, talk to congressmen and senators on the phone, pave the way for other kids with epilepsy, and live my life. A while back I did an interview with the founder of www.seizetheworld.com. My story is called "You Only Live Once". It was published in the Denver Post and the New York Times as a message to live life to the fullest.
Another big thing I love to do is travel the world. I haven't been to Antarctica, Australia, or Asia yet but I might be going to Shanghai this fall to ride horses there. I have been to Mexico, Canada, Belize, Guatemala, Galapagos Islands, Tahiti, South Africa, Kenya (my favorite), Tanzania, Botswana, Zambia, Zimbabwe, France, and Switzerland. We hope to live in Africa for three months sometime in our lives. You do amazing things that inspire me.
Sincerely,
Channing S.
Sara writes: WOW!! You're are one amazing individual. You should be proud of all that you've accomplished in educating others about this disorder. I'm thoroughly impressed. You are an inspiration to people like me. I wish I could have visited all the exotic places you've been! Keep up the great work!
June 2008:
Hi Sara, this is who WE are…
The trip is sponsored by Simply Smiles, a Connecticut-based non-profit organization whose goal is to provide bright futures for impoverished children.
The students and their Spanish teacher will spend the week in the Casa Hogar orphanage where they will participate in activities with the children. They will also build a home for one of the 33 families that live in the
The group includes recent graduates Callie Larson, Zachary Gross, Julia Benivegna, Samantha Steinmetz and current students Anna Carlson, Carley Davenport, Nathalie Fernandes, Riley Brigham, Sarah Kelly, Lauren Dever, Claire Franjola, KD MacDonald, Brendan Berg, Hayley Berg, Callie Huber and Spanish teacher Mike Nolan.
The Shepaug students and graduates planned a variety of activities for the children of the orphanage, including creating tie-dyed shirts, designing picture frames, jewelry making, music and other games.
When not spending time with the children, the group will work outside the garbage dump to sift sand, mix cement, chip cinder blocks and ultimately build a home for one of the many families who live at the dump.
The public is invited to track their progress at www.simplysmiles.org.
The group will also have time to visit a variety of cultural attractions in
A slideshow and catered celebration will take place at
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March 2008:
Kelly of New York writes: This is who I am... I've sponsored a child through an organization a friend of mine started. It's called iHug which stands for I Help Uganda Grow. They've also built a school and it's been a lot of fun to see the direct results of my contributions.
Sara writes: Kelly it is great what yo are doing, children's futures is a great cause! Keep it up!!!
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November 2007:
Sara writes: Jelnova, that is amazing, you are truly a person who looks out for others. I really respect what you had to say and what you do. Keep up the great work!!!
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October 2007:
