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2005 Kids Speak Up! Participant Biography

Kids Speak Up! logoStephanie Parente

Age: 14
Grade: 9
West Warwick, Rhode Island

"I was freaked out the first time I had a seizure, so I know how people feel. But they need to understand that seizures are not harmful to them or the person experiencing it."
- Stephanie

Stephanie Parente is a clever and talented girl who will participate in Kids Speak Up! to educate people about her condition. She wants them to know they have no reason to be fearful of her. Since her diagnosis, Stephanie has led her own crusade to educate and inform her peers about seizure conditions.

Stephanie does not want to be treated differently because of her condition. She is actively involved on the crew team at St. Mary Academy - Bay View High School. Her parents have never allowed her to use the condition as a crutch. They feel epilepsy is another one of life's obstacles that must be overcome.

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Read more about Stephanie: Rhode Island Youth Shares Epilepsy Message on Capitol Hill