This past week we had the pleasure of meeting members of the epilepsy communities in Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada and the greater Seattle area in Washington State. It seems that no matter what state or country we visit, we meet individuals affected by epilepsy who continue to inspire us.

A highlight for any event is connecting individuals who had not previously met, who can now offer each other support as they each face their own epilepsy battles. The isolating nature of epilepsy, whether it be due to fear, stigma or any of the other many side effects of this disorder, can be very lonely. A special moment for our team is hearing the conversations that develop during an event, seeing the exchange of contact information, and knowing that there is the potential for future interactions after we depart. That is one of our markers for success: that our impact can reach beyond the 2 or 3 hours that we’re visiting a community.

Another key moment for us is watching a person with epilepsy and their caregiver enjoy an activity. It’s hard to imagine the daily challenges that a parent and child may face, as they navigate seizures, doctor’s appointments, bills, and worry. We hope that some of the activities we offer provide a break, a time to interact with each other, surrounded by others who can identify, who won’t judge, and who will cheer when that knot is tied or that boat makes it down the race track.

While an additional goal for events is to tell the story of Phil’s journey with epilepsy, his successful career, and his pursuit of his dream of sailing, we in turn are motivated by the individual stories of those we meet. The family from another country who didn’t have access to appropriate care, but supported their family member through their uncontrolled seizure disorder. Those who are newly diagnosed and discovering ways to meet challenges such as short-term memory loss or having their driver’s license revoked. Some struggle with additional developmental conditions. And when we suggest they do something that they haven’t done before, with the necessary safety measures in place, we see them striving to:

• Learn guitar with earplugs to reduce sound.
• Learn to rock climb.
• Go to the golf course to practice for the regionals next year in the Special Olympics.
• Graduate university and become a successful/independent young adult.
• Become a professional gymnast.
• Play more catch with my dad.
• Go on long bike rides.
• Walk 10,000+ steps every day.
• Finish my bachelors of education degree and prove my school wrong that people with epilepsy can be teachers.
• Help others find what’s good about them.
• Educate business owners, CEOs, anyone willing to listen about epilepsy and that people with the condition are capable of achieving anything they put their minds into.

We applaud all these new Virtual Shipmates and can’t wait to see what they can accomplish. We’re proud to now have over 500 people participating in the One More Step Challenge and look forward to adding these new names to the boat during our winter refit period!

Our thanks to BC Epilepsy Society and Epilepsy Foundation Washington for welcoming us to these events.