Episode #101 - Remembering a Brother Lost to SUDEP and Finding Hope in Community featuring Hannah Whitten

Share
Subscribe

This week on Seizing Life® we welcome Hannah Whitten to the podcast. Hannah’s older brother Dylan lived with epilepsy nearly his entire life, until he passed away from SUDEP at the age of 25. Though she was 5 years younger, Hannah was a constant companion to Dylan as they grew up and was often his main caregiver. She tells us about her brother’s attitude and determination not to let epilepsy define or limit his life, attending and graduating from college, working, and eventually living on his own. Hannah also talks about her experiences having a sibling with epilepsy and the impact that epilepsy has had on their family.

Hannah recounts Dylan’s treatment journey and shares the heartbreak of losing her brother to SUDEP at a time when he was thriving and seemed to have found some measure of seizure control. Hannah also explains how her brother’s experience, attitude, and determination inspired her to get involved in the epilepsy community through several non-profit organizations including joining CURE Epilepsy’s Board of Directors. Hannah shares her hopes for the future of epilepsy research and discusses the importance of community and the need to remove the stigma around epilepsy.

Download Audio

Want to download this episode? Fill out the form below and enjoy the podcast any time you’d like!

    Back to Episode Download PDF

    Remembering a Brother Lost to SUDEP and Finding Hope in Community

    Related Episodes

    featured episode
    AdvocacyLiving with Epilepsy
    November 1, 2023

    #128 NYC Marathoner Achieves Seizure Control and Runs for Epilepsy Research

    Guest: Peter Burpee

    This week on Seizing Life® Peter Burpee shares his experiences with absence and tonic clonic seizures and explains why he’s running for Team CURE Epilepsy in the upcoming NYC Marathon.

    featured episode
    FamilyInfantile Spasms
    October 4, 2023

    #126 Infantile Spasms Diagnosis and Treatment Journey Inspires Children’s Book

    Guest: Kate Kostolansky

    This week on Seizing Life® Kate Kostolansky shares her daughter’s infantile spasms diagnosis and treatment journey, and explains how these experiences inspired a children’s book to help newly-diagnosed families.

    featured episode
    AdvocacyFamily
    September 20, 2023

    #125 An Extraordinary Life of Autism, Epilepsy, and Advocacy

    Guest: Barbara D'Amora

    This week on Seizing Life® Barbara D’Amora tells us about her son Nicholas, who lived with autism and epilepsy and became an active and inspirational advocate for the autistic community despite being nonverbal.