It was recently reported in The Baltimore Sun that the birth scene in Twilight Saga’s Breaking Dawn Part 1 was inducing seizures in some of the movie goers.
According to the report, “officials at the Maryland-based Epilepsy Foundation issued a warning this week to their nearly 11,000 followers on Facebook, saying people prone to certain types of seizures might want to skip the film, which has been the top-grossing movie in the country for two weeks straight.”
“There have been at least nine reported instances of people suffering seizures during Breaking Dawn, the latest installment in the teen vampire series. The trigger seems to be a particularly intense birth scene that involves a strobe effect with flashes of red, white and black light,” according to the newspaper article.
It also says “other instances have been reported in Maine, Utah, Massachusetts and Canada.”
When I think about these sufferers and how hard it must be for them to go through life, knowing at any time they may suffer an electrical impulse storm in their brain, it makes me realize how much I take my good health for granted.
About 3 million Americans and about 60,000 Canadians suffer from epilepsy.
And according to Epilepsy Canada, “due to the stigma surrounding epilepsy and the prejudice with which society has historically treated people with epilepsy, many with the disorder are reluctant to admit it or to seek treatment. Thus the prevalence of epilepsy is likely much higher.”
When I view this in the context of my friend Garnet DeWitt, it makes me shudder to think of the daily challenges he must face. He’s had seizures so severe he’s ended up in the hospital battered and bruised with no recollection of how he got there or what happened to him.
Even his computer screen has induced seizures.
And he’s the first person to admit that it hasn’t always been easy for him trying to make friends or fit in with others.
But he plods forward with a positive attitude, undaunted by society’s prejudice. He’s not only intelligent, but he’s a very talented musician. Once you get to know him, you realize he’s just like everyone else, but with a few more stumbling blocks to overcome.
I interviewed him several times for my novel Brainstorm, now available on Amazon. In the end, I was left with a sense of wonder and amazement about how well he not only copes, but pushes on with his goals and aspirations.
In light of his handicap, I think that’s incredible.
It made me realize just how petty my little bumps along the road are in comparison to the daily hardships he faces.
He truly is a courageous and amazing person.
And, I thank him from the bottom of my heart for teaching me a thing or two.
Handicapped people have it hard enough as it is. They don’t need our scorn and ridicule.
They need our support.
Donna Williams
“Sir” William, I loved Brainstorm… you are truly one of the best writers of our day.. I couldn’t put it down.
riveting, passionate, and heartfelt….. thank-you!