Epilepsy affects 65 million people around the world. It has no cause and no cure, but it does have advocates pushing for awareness.
Shari Dudo with the Purple Warriors of Texas Epilepsy Advocates group is working with District 11, State Representative Travis Clardy to put a law into place that will require faculty to learn how to handle a epileptic seizure.
"Sam’s law is important to us because we’re dealing with National Epilepsy Awareness Day. The law is named after Samantha Watkins who tragically lost her life to an epileptic seizure. One of our constituents who we represent in the Kilgore area in Rusk County really brought this to our attention," said Clardy. "The goal of this is to make more awareness not only students, but faculty, and administrations in our school districts the problem we have, it’s a wide range problem that affects a lot of people."
Currently, the Texas Education Agency says there isn't anything that mandates teachers, or students to learn about seizures and how to deal with them.
"33,988 students have active epilepsy in our Texas Public schools, we’re talking about a large percentage that need help." says Shari Dudo, Purple Warriors of Texas Epilepsy Advocates
Sam's law would include a video training course for teachers, that would come to no cost to the state.
Susan Branin's daughter Micayla has epilepsy, but doesn't let the uncontrollable situation control her and says she hopes Sam's Law passes.
"There will be protection at school," says Micayla.
The law has been drafted and is expected to be passed in 2019.
►Make it easy to keep up to date with more stories like this. Download the KYTX CBS19 News 2 App now.
Have a news tip? Email news@cbs19.tv, visit our Facebook page or Twitter.