NSI & DOOD Radio
interviews
Katie Boeck
Senior Community Development Manager at Epilepsy Foundation of Florida.
Katie Boeck and family
Click here to listen to Katie Boeck’s interview
Epilepsy is a mysterious condition that most people do not know much about other than it effects the brain. Most of us fear it and do not understand the causes contributing to its development. In many cases, the cause is unknown. It is a lot more common than most people realize. Roughly one in every 26 Americans have experienced an epileptic seizure. You are clinically diagnosed as having epilepsy if you have had two seizures in your lifetime. It is estimated that at least 3 million Americans are afflicted with this disorder and 65 million people worldwide live with epilepsy. Most people who have been diagnosed live well despite having the disorder. It can be managed carefully by the medical community.
What is epilepsy?
Epilesy and the brain
The Epilepsy Foundation’s definition: Epilepsy is a chronic disorder, the hallmark of which is recurrent, unprovoked seizures. Many people with epilepsy have more than one type of seizure and may have other symptoms of neurological problems as well. Epilepsy or seizures vary in intensity. They can be extremely brief and last only a few seconds which can easily go unnoticed. Often, the person appears to be staring blankly into space with their eyes fixed. However, those that last longer can cause the person to fall unexpectedly and their body to become rigid or experience traumatic shaking. It can be a frightening thing to witness if you are uninformed and do not know what to do to help.
Some of the most common causes of epilepsy are traumatic brain injury, stroke, heart disease, a parasite which is called cysticercosis, significantly high fevers and dehydration.
What the public often does not know:
Let’s fight to end epilepsy
- Epilepsy effects people of all ages.
- It is the fourth most common Neurological disorder.
- Epilepsy can cause unpredictable seizures which lead to other health issues.
- The type of seizure or the intensity can vary dramatically from individual to individual.
The Epilepsy Foundation is working tirelessly to raise awareness and to fund research to find new forms of management for the disorder and a possible cure. It is a brain condition that anyone can develop.
Katie Boeck is the Senior Community Development Manager at Epilepsy Foundation of Florida.
Dancing on our Disabilities Radio is pleased to have Katie Boeck visiting with us. Her mission is to help raise awareness and education about epilepsy. Katie speaks freely about Kaylie Boeck, her daughter who is 10 years old and is in 4th grade. She was diagnosed with Absence Seizures at age 7 and sees a local Epileptologist for treatment. Kaylie started a club at school called Be Aware and Care Kids (BACK) to bring awareness to disabilities that affect children and adults in the community. She is an amazing young girl who is a huge advocate for The Epilepsy Foundation as well as any other diseases or disabilities that affect her friends and family. Together mother and daughter are helping to create a new understanding of this disorder.
Katie Boeck’s Bio.
Katie Boeck, resident of Palm Beach Gardens for 23 years, born in Boothbay Harbor, Maine, is the mother of a 10 yr. old daughter Kaylie and the Sr. Community Development Manager for the Palm Beach and Treasure Coast areas for the Epilepsy Foundation of Florida.
As a local Insurance Agency owner, she chose to join the Board of the Epilepsy Foundation of Florida when her daughter was diagnosed with epilepsy 2 years ago. About a year later Katie decided to sell her insurance agency of 15 years to take the position of developing awareness, education opportunities, relationships and financial support for the 400,000 Floridians, including her daughter, living with epilepsy and seizure disorders. Due to the extremely large funding cuts from the state totaling around $570,000, Katie’s primary focus has become building a consistent stream of funding to ensure an economic future for the services and programs that the Foundation provides to the individuals and families in the Palm Beach County and surrounding Treasure Coast counties.
Katie is looking for support for Walk the Talk for Epilepsy 2016. This annual walk will be held in nine different locations during March and April. Please help support the Epilepsy foundation.
Walk Locations:
Hollywood Florida- March 6
Miami March 12
Treasure Coast -March 12
Palm Beach County -March 13
Daytona – April 2
Jacksonville- April 9
Pensacola- April 16
Gainesville-April 17
Naples -April 17
To register for The Walk the Talk contact
1-561-478-6515
Epilepsy Foundation of Florida
3222 Commerce Place, Suite B
West Palm Beach FL 33407
Katie Boeck
