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Dr. Sanjay Singh, right, director of The Nebraska Epilepsy Center at UNMC and its hospital partner, The Nebraska Medical Center, discusses the epilepsy program with Rep. Lee Terry, second from left. Others in the photo are, from left: Dr. Pierre Fayad, chairman of UNMC Department of Neurological Sciences, Heather Overton, a 23-year-old UNO student who has had epilepsy since she was 18 months old, and her mother, Mary Overton, who helped start the Epilepsy Support Group in Nebraska. Photo by Gregg Dahlheim. |
The 23-year-old Bellevue girl, who was first diagnosed with epilepsy when she was 18 months, will celebrate three years of being seizure free on June 3.
It’s a landmark event, and she gives full credit to Sanjay Singh, M.D., director of The Nebraska Epilepsy Center at UNMC and its hospital partner, The Nebraska Medical Center.
After averaging three to four seizures per week for 20 years, Overton was all too familiar with the impact epilepsy can have on your life.
“Before Dr. Singh got here, we had seen about 10 different doctors and were traveling to Missouri twice a year,” she said.
Dr. Singh, assistant professor of neurological sciences, started Overton on a combination of different medicines. After a few adjustments, he was able to finally come up with the right combination that worked for Overton.
She takes 21 pills per day, but that is an easy trade to make for not having any seizures. She works in telecommunications at the University of Nebraska at Omaha and hopes to earn her business degree from UNO in May 2007.
“When Heather had a grand mal seizure, she would have severe jerks and lose consciousness,” said Mary Overton, Heather’s mother. “Mike (her father) would roll her on her side and talk to her, while I would time the seizure. They usually lasted between one and five minutes. If it lasted longer than five minutes, that’s when she was at greatest risk.
“When you have a seizure, every muscle in your body tenses up. It wears you out. After Heather would have a seizure, she would sleep 12 to 13 hours.”
The Overton family has strong UNMC ties. Mike Overton, a supervisor in facilities management and planning, has been at UNMC for 31 years. Mary Overton worked at UNMC for 24 years and now works as a staff secretary for the Counseling Center at UNO. Their son, Christopher, has been a campus security officer at UNMC for the past six years.
“Dr. Singh is our lifesaver,” Mary Overton said. “He’s our hero. We consider him a good friend. We consider him family. He’s our angel that was sent to us.”
The Overtons, in turn, have given back to the epilepsy program. Two years ago, they started the only Epilepsy Support Group in Nebraska. The group, which meets the third Tuesday of every month from 7 to 9 p.m. in Room 3010 of Wittson Hall, has grown to more than 40 members.
Having seen the great things the epilepsy program has done for Heather and being involved with the Epilepsy Support Group, Mary Overton said it is her desire to some day work in The Epilepsy Center.
“Everyone hears about cancer, heart disease, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, but you hardly ever hear about epilepsy,” Mary Overton said. “Epilepsy impacts 25,000 people in this area and 3.2 million nationwide, and 103,000 people are diagnosed every year. It is here and people need to know.
“They also need to know what these people go through, especially children. They need to know about the things that those with epilepsy are called – such as, spastic, retarded, and possessed by the devil – and how many parents won’t let their children play with someone with epilepsy because ‘they may get it.’ These are all terrible untruths.”
Earlier this year, Heather Overton went to Washington, D.C. to participate in the Kids Speak Up, Speak Out program of the Public Policy Institute held in conjunction with the annual National Epilepsy Conference.
Her role was to meet with Nebraska’s congressional delegation and encourage them to support a 2007 budget amendment that would reinstate $7 billion in medical funding. She met personally with Rep. Lee Terry and with staff members in the offices of Sen. Ben Nelson and Sen. Chuck Hagel.
She invited all of them to come to UNMC and see for themselves what Dr. Singh has accomplished at The Nebraska Epilepsy Center. Rep. Terry took Heather up on her offer and came to the medical center on April 21 for an hour-long tour.
Dr. Singh gave a presentation detailing how the program has evolved since he arrived in 2002. The Nebraska Epilepsy Center is now a level four regional center for the treatment of epilepsy – the highest designation possible. More than 1,600 epilepsy patients are currently being seen at the medical center.
“Most health care providers need an update on the treatment of epilepsy,” Dr. Singh said. “Treatments have completely changed in the last 10 years. There are many different treatment options, including new drugs, new surgical treatments and brain stimulation. Nine years ago, there were only four medications used for epilepsy. Now, we have 14 medications – that’s like getting a new medication every year.”
The new treatment options are making a difference for many patients. “Years ago, people thought epileptics were possessed,” Dr Singh said. “We need to overcome that stigma. They are normal and very gifted individuals.”
Dr. Singh takes special pride in that two UNMC resident physicians in neurology have won first prize in the national Kiffin Penry Epilepsy Minifellowship Program during the past three years. “This is a rare achievement,” he said, “since residents from almost every program in the country compete in this national minifellowship program.”
Dr. Singh, Pierre Fayad, M.D., professor and chairman of the UNMC Department of Neurological Sciences, and Ken Follett, M.D., professor and chief of the neurosurgery section in the UNMC Department of Surgery, led Rep. Terry on an extensive tour of The Nebraska Epilepsy Center.
Terry said he has a special interest in neurological problems, as his father, Lee Terry Sr., suffered a stroke several years ago.
After touring The Nebraska Epilepsy Center, he summarized his feelings with two words — “Very impressive.”