A Gauteng woman, Linda Dias Menezes, was diagnosed with epilepsy in 1999 at the age of 13.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), epilepsy is a chronic non-communicable disease of the brain that affects around 50 million people worldwide.
It is characterised by recurrent seizures, which are brief episodes of involuntary movement that may involve a part of the body or the entire body, and are sometimes accompanied by loss of consciousness and control of bowel or bladder function.
Seizure episodes are a result of excessive electrical discharges in a group of brain cells. Different parts of the brain can be the site of such discharges.
According to the Department of Health, about one in every 100 people has epilepsy and 75% of the people have had their first seizure before the age of 20 in South Africa.
Menezes shares her journey with disability, personal achievements, aspirations and challenges with SABC Digital News Producer Lebo Tshangela in this bi-weekly feature, Thrive.
She says, “People with epilepsy are able to keep jobs and succeed academically. I think the key is to just look after yourself, know what your triggers are and take your medication.”
Below is the full podcast:
Related: PODCAST: THRIVE Part 1: Former Western Cape councillor with paraplegia shares his story
Related: PODCAST: THRIVE Part 3: Former JSE employee with paraplegia shares her story
Related: PODCAST: THRIVE Part 4: Single amputee Randi Ndele shares his story
Related: PODCAST: THRIVE Part 7: Journalist and para-athlete star Palesa Manaleng shares her story
Related: THRIVE Part 8: Mosala Makhetha shares his experience of being a Deaf person in SA
Related: PODCAST: THRIVE Part 9: Northern Cape woman with Erb-Duchenne Palsy shares her story
Related: PODCAST: THRIVE Part 10: Single amputee, Robert Masambo shares his story
Related: PODCAST: THRIVE Part 11: A bank employee with visual impairment shares his story
Related: PODCAST: THRIVE Part 12: Politician Poppy Mocumi shares her story about disability
Related: PODCAST: THRIVE Part 13: A businessman who is partially sighted shares his story
Related: PODCAST: THRIVE Part 15: Former MP, Andrew Madella shares his story about disability
