Overcoming adversity – Te Awamutu teen’s glimmer of hope
Kayley Clifford gripped her disorder and used it to pave the path for her triumphant successes.
Opening up her wallet to reveal a simple driver’s licence represents a form of independence Kayley Clifford feared she may never have.
Looking back to the day Kayley passed her test, she describes the feeling as pure excitement. A moment she won’t forget. The achievement had become an even larger triumph through the eyes of Kayley, who thought she may never have the ability to drive.
When Kayley was first diagnosed with epilepsy her 12-year-old self looked to the future and questioned what she may, or may not, be able to do.
After initially being told that her seizures were only temporary, an MRI scan at Waikato Hospital one year later confirmed the worst. Kayley’s tonic-clonic seizures would be with her forever.
“I just thought, what am I going to do? What am I going to achieve?”.
Despite this feeling and dealing with consistent seizures, Kayley managed to push through and complete High School. She achieved NCEA Levels One and Two along the way.
Defying the odds and adding to her growing line of accomplishments, she has recently been promoted to manager at her current job. Kayley hopes that this experience will help her when finding new employment in the future.
When looking back on her battle with epilepsy, Kayley reflected on one of her lowest points during this time. “I think it was while I was at school” she recalls. Amid a mental conflict, and stuck in a constant whirl of regular seizures, she found herself immersed in an everyday struggle.
“I couldn’t do anything, I couldn’t go anywhere- I was just constantly in and out of hospital.”
A regular part of Kayley’s routine is taking her medication. This medication will not rid her of her Epilepsy, nor will it stop her seizures, however, it does keep them somewhat under control. The side effects that come with this include depression and weight gain.
For future endeavors, Kayley’s heart is set on saving and purchasing a home with her partner. For her, this will be the ultimate signifier of the independence she thought she’d lost years ago.
Kayley puts an emphasis on the fact that other young people living with epilepsy aren’t alone, and that they can achieve anything they put their minds to. Something that seems as simple as passing a drivers test, could inspire a whirlwind of accomplishments.
Her message to those living with epilepsy rings true and simple.
“Don’t let Epilepsy hold you back, because living like that isn’t fun.”
