Thursday marked Purple Day, a global effort to raise awareness for epilepsy and those living with the condition.
- DeWitt neighbor Emily Romblom is sharing her story for Purple Day to raise awareness about living with epilepsy
- She is hosting a fundraiser for the Epilepsy Foundation of Michigan and educating the community on seizure safety
- Experts advise staying with someone having a seizure and only calling 911 if it is their first or lasts more than five minutes
WATCH: DeWitt woman shares her journey with epilepsy to celebrate Purple Day
DeWitt resident Emily Romblom is living with epilepsy, a disorder she says can impact how she lives her daily life. She shared her story to help others understand what life with epilepsy looks like.
"It’s just a challenge both me and 50 million other people have to deal with," Romblom said. "Today is actually known as Purple Day."
Andrea Schotthoefer of the Epilepsy Foundation of Michigan explained the condition.
"Epilepsy is a neurological condition characterized by recurring, unprovoked seizures. There are about 109,000 people in Michigan living with epilepsy," Schotthoefer said.
Romblom is one of them. She says she has been living with epilepsy since she was 11 years old. For the second year, she is also raising money for the Epilepsy Foundation of Michigan in the community.
"We gotta shake, rattle and roll with the punches everyday," Romblom said.
This Purple Day, Romblom wants to educate neighbors on what to do if someone has a seizure.
"The best, best thing that anybody can do is just be there for us," Romblom said.
The Epilepsy Foundation of Michigan says you should stay with the person and keep them safe. You do not need to call 911 unless it is someone’s first seizure or the seizure lasts more than five minutes.
Romblom says this Purple Day, she wants to help others better understand how epilepsy affects her life.
"It hasn’t kept me from doing a lot of the things I love," Romblom said.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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