Claire Eckert

Age: 8
Grade: 2
Market: Tionesta, Pennsylvania

Claire Eckert is a strong and spirited girl who never gave in—not once during the dozens of EEGs and nights in the hospital—not even during the countless trips to the ER, blood draws, IVs and doctor’s visits. She wore her helmet, a safeguard against injury during her many drop-attacks, without a complaint, even on hot and humid days.

And yet her seizures persisted, even as more and more drugs were tried. Her mother just wanted her bright and sunny little girl back, so she researched in books and on the Internet and talked with other parents until she determined she wanted to try Claire on the ketogenic diet. Claire’s doctors did not have enough experience and commitment to the diet, so Claire’s mother went to another hospital, intent on finding a solution for her daughter.”

Claire’s now been seizure free for just over two years and she and her family are intent on raising epilepsy awareness and helping to raise fund for epilepsy research. They’re always willing to share their story of hope and determination with others.

“I don’t remember a lot from when I had seizures,” Claire printed in her painstakingly neat block letters on her Kids Speak Up! application. “Some times I had a helmet on. I didn’t go to preschool. I took gross medicine. I started the diet. Now I don’t have seizures. I am a normal kid. I go to school, Brownies, soccer, horseback riding. I think kids without epilepsy shouldn’t be mean to kids that have epilepsy. I am lucky my seizures stopped. I feel really bad for kids that can’t get their seizures controlled. I think they should be treated like any other kid.”