photo credit: Sakara Ross
The month of November is Health Awareness Month and specifically the month focuses on epilepsy and diabetes. Unless affected by these chronic illnesses, most people don’t take the time to educate themselves about them and their risks. However, 37.3 million people have diabetes and one percent of adults have epilepsy in the country, making it likely that most people know someone who lives with these diseases daily. In addition, during Health Awareness Month, rapid changes in health policy are possible with the current administration.
According to the Center of Disease Control, in 2021 and 2022, one percent of adults had epilepsy. While this doesn’t seem like a lot, it’s about 2.9 million people.
Epilepsy is a serious disease that affects many people. It is a brain condition that causes seizures. Epilepsy can only be diagnosed if someone has had at least two seizures without a noticeable cause at least 24 hours apart, according to Mayo Clinic. About half of people with epilepsy don’t have a cause to explain why they have it. Factors like genetic influence, head trauma, factors in the brain, infections, injury before birth and developmental causes can be possible causes for epilepsy, also according to Mayo Clinic.
One student at the high school has dealt with epilepsy for a long time. Freshman Delaney Tackett has had epilepsy for most of her life. She has had a lot of challenges living with epilepsy.
“Living with epilepsy has been a challenge. There were days when I was younger when I was having 250 seizures a day and couldn’t even walk up the stairs,” Delaney said.
There are lots of roadblocks people with epilepsy have to push past every day. What makes this more difficult is the fact that treatment is pretty limited.
“Many people go on oral medication for epilepsy as it doesn’t have many options currently, but therapies can sometimes help people,” Ryan Tackett, Delaney’s dad, who has been around epilepsy for a long time, said.
Obviously, this makes everyday tasks very challenging for those who have epilepsy. This can make people with epilepsy feel sad, as sometimes they have an inability to do things others can do.
“Especially when you’re younger, you can’t do anything because everything the other kids are doing can put you at risk for a seizure. Living with epilepsy sadly becomes normal at a point in your life,” Delaney said.
Even in simple tasks, Delaney would still struggle. She was 5 years old when she was diagnosed with epilepsy.
“When I was little, I couldn’t do anything, and it horribly affected my everyday life. I couldn’t ride a bike, I couldn’t swim, I could barely do anything on my own because of my condition,” Delaney said.
Medicine and medical treatment is a popular way to treat epilepsy. However, there are many alternative options that are just as or even more successful than medical treatment.
One great way to do this is sports. According to the National Library of Medicine, multiple cited studies showed a correlation between increased exercise and reduced seizure numbers.
“I’ve been treated for about eight years since I was first diagnosed, and it helped me a lot. But the treatment that’s helped me the most is exercise and sports,” Delaney said.
Delaney has been extremely successful in the athletic field. She is a very talented wrestler who went to nationals this summer and even was invited to track nationals this fall.
“Now that I’m older and having way less seizures, it definitely affects my daily life less, but it’s still scary when it happens. If I have one now, I might skip a workout or something for safety reasons, but it doesn’t affect me as much as it used to,” Delaney said.
However, there is more that can truly help people with epilepsy, which Ryan explained: family and friends.
“People can still live a normal life with epilepsy with treatment and the help of their friends and family. Although it can greatly affect your life, if you have the right treatment anything is possible,” Ryan said.
This statement truly represents living with epilepsy. Despite the hardships and struggles, people can still prevail with family, friends and treatment. Epilepsy can always be battled back against.
November is also National Diabetes month, and according to the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention, about 38 million people have diabetes, and one in five don’t know they have it.
According to the Congressional Diabetes Census, of those with diabetes, approximately 21 million are diagnosed while eight million remain undiagnosed.
The prevalence of diabetes has been rising more rapidly in recent years. Since it’s National Diabetes Month, It’s important to look at what diabetes is and how people manage their diabetes day-to-day.
“The biggest struggle is feeling judged for it. Type 1 diabetes doesn’t have a great reputation, but it’s only because people don’t understand how it works; everyone thinks it comes from eating too much, which isn’t true at all,” an Orange High School student, who wished to remain anonymous, said.
One of the biggest struggles associated with having diabetes is the lack of information people have on it. Diabetes does not develop from eating too much sugar but because patients lack insulin in their body. According to the Cleveland Clinic, the disease can develop when the body’s pancreas doesn’t make enough insulin or any at all. This is one of the biggest false assumptions about diabetes because people think it’s from eating too much sugar, when truly, their body isn’t producing enough.
“I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes Feb. 19, 2019. I was 9 years old at the time, turning 10 a month later. My daily routine consists of me checking my blood sugar levels as much as I can with an app on my phone that connects to the continuous monitor on my arm. I put the numbers of the meal into the receiver, which the math is done automatically with what my blood sugar level is. I usually have to correct 15-25 minutes before I eat anything, ” junior Braeden McCorkle said.
McCorkle has been managing his type 1 diabetes for seven years and checks his blood sugar levels multiple times a day. He uses updated technology with an app on his phone, which makes it much simpler to check it during classes. The new technology helps manage and track all the food he’s eating so he can enjoy his meals, and feel less nervous about what he should and shouldn’t eat.
“Many people with diabetes monitor their glucose with either fingersticks, a glucose meter and test strip or continuous glucose monitors, also known as CGMS, rather than simply pricking a finger,” Healthcare Copywriter and mom to junior Lila Urbanic, Jennifer Urbanic said.
Because technology is advancing, tracking meals and blood sugar levels for people with both types of diabetes has become an easier process. Monitors show how the body’s glucose rises and falls throughout the day and helps with tracking the meals one is eating.
“Moving more, especially after meals, can help tremendously. Structured exercise is even better. Understanding how foods nourish the body is key,” Urbanic said.
Exercise can majorly assist with the management of one’s diet when they have type 1 or type 2 diabetes. According to Harvard Health, exercise helps control weight, lower blood pressure, raise healthy HDL cholesterol, strengthen muscles and bones and reduce anxiety. Exercise helps maintain blood sugar levels, and it’s even better with a structured healthy diet.
“My dad was diagnosed at 45 for type 2 diabetes but was already aware that he was going to be affected because he was diagnosed with pre diabetes and also because it runs in our family. Due to this, our initial reaction wasn’t that surprising because it was an expected diagnosis,” junior Aashritha Saladi said.
Type 2 and type 1 diabetes get mixed up constantly. According to Diabetes UK, unlike type 1 diabetes, one’s risk of developing type 2 diabetes increases with age, and it means the insulin in the body isn’t working properly. People who have type 2 diabetes usually get it genetically and when they are older, around ages 30-50.
“There are several types—including type 1, type 2, gestational diabetes and even subtypes you don’t often hear about. The way someone develops diabetes, the medications and tools, and their comfort level and engagement with their condition can all be very different,” Urbanic said.
Experiences with diabetes vary based on the type of diabetes, the individual’s reaction to the diagnosis, their symptoms, treatment and lifestyle and the support system they have. Everyone has a different story with their diagnosis.
“It helps me understand the product on a deeply personal basis—not just the data and features, but the emotional side of it. My job reminds me why connection matters so much in what I do. The best work happens when people feel seen, understood and supported,” Urbanic said.
According to the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention, more than 38 million Americans are living with diabetes. So, each person has a different and unique journey and experience managing it. It is important to clear the misinformation and assumptions about how diabetes occurs, so people without diabetes can be more educated and people with diabetes can feel more understood.
Early last year, the new administration was sworn into office, and since then, there have been many changes made in regards to America’s healthcare system. These changes include some to the Medicaid program and more importance placed on chronic disease and nutrition.
On July 4, President Donald Trump signed into law HR 1, also known as The One Big Beautiful Bill Act. This act covers many parts of budgeting including student loans to medicaid programs.
“The biggest changes that came out of The One Big Beautiful Bill Act are related to the Medicaid program. Medicaid provides health insurance to people with low incomes and some people with disabilities. It currently provides health insurance to more than one in four Ohioans,” Director of Policy Research and Analysis at the Health Policy Institute of Ohio Becky Carroll said.
Each state is required to have a medicaid program, but since the law made some changes to how states are allowed to pay their share of medicaid, there will need to be cuts.
“Unless the state can find a new way to pay, it will probably need to make its own cuts to Medicaid. This will likely happen in one of three ways: Medicaid will pay healthcare providers (e.g., doctors, hospitals, nurse practitioners, etc.) lower amounts for the services they provide to patients, there will be additional restrictions on who is eligible for Medicaid, which will decrease the number of people in the program, Medicaid will stop paying for certain types of healthcare services, such as dental care for example,” Carroll said. This is one of the major impacts of the current government shutdown.
A big concern about this new bill is the effects it will have on medical practices and healthcare prices. Because many parts of the bill have not yet taken effect, it’s hard to determine what their effect will be.
“However, experts are also expecting the healthcare providers, such as hospitals, to lose money since a lot of the people who are no longer eligible for Medicaid will not have health insurance and may not be able to afford care. The expected amount Ohio will lose because of these policy changes is $33 billion over 10 years,” Carroll said.
Apart from the budget cuts made to medicaid, the new administration has put a lot of importance on preventing chronic disease and nutrition. There is a significant push to get away from processed foods.
“Although definitions vary, for the purposes of this assessment, ultra-processed foods refer broadly to packaged and ready-to-consume products that are formulated for shelf life and/or palatability but are typically high in added sugars, refined grains, unhealthy fats and sodium and low in fiber and essential nutrients,” according to the White House. .
How these new preventions will take place is difficult to fully pinpoint. The Health Policy Institute of Ohio relies on research showing that factors such as housing, income, education and transportation influences one’s ability to be healthy.
“For example, some people living in rural parts of Ohio must travel long distances to get to a grocery store and may rely more often on convenience stores for food than other people with more accessible grocery stores. The administration does not seem to intend to make changes to address these types of barriers,” Carroll said.
However, there are gains for the State of Ohio in relation to healthcare policy. Representative Rachel Baker is a nurse researcher turned State Representative of House District 27. She is extremely interested in improving healthcare policy. Her office is highly involved with the people of Ohio. They make sure to take in feedback from healthcare providers, patients, and community organizations.
“My office always meets with healthcare professionals, patients and community organizations when they reach out to meet with us. During these meetings, we learned a lot about what Ohio’s healthcare community needs to be adjusted in the Ohio Revised Code to make care more efficient, accessible and safe. Once we receive feedback and input, we decide if we would like to have a bill drafted to address the issues or needs. Additionally, we reach out proactively to professional organizations when bills are introduced to make sure we get feedback from those who changes will impact,” Baker said.
Baker also takes extreme care when faced with healthcare changes that may affect her constituents. She balances the importance of public health as well as the importance of having a choice.
“As a State Representative, my constituents’ personal autonomy and safety are two of my main priorities, especially when it comes to healthcare. I keep a close eye on all of the legislation that is going through the House Health committee, to make sure that all Ohioans feel empowered to make their own healthcare decisions while making sure there are safeguards in place to protect communities and maintain public health,” Baker said.
Baker has been focused on improving healthcare access and affordability in Ohio over the next few years through her pieces of legislation that she has introduced over the past year. Some of these include HB 401, Designate Myositis Awareness month, HB 254, Increase education awareness of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia and HB 448, Apply prescription drug rebates to cost-sharing requirements. Baker is most excited about the progress of House Bill 141.
“House Bill 141 would set up a licensure process through the Department of Health through which centers would apply to become PPEC centers. PPEC programs are non-residential community-based daycare centers for children with complex medical needs. These centers would offer daycare for infants and preschool aged children and before and after school and summer services for school-aged children. The definition of children with medical complexity encompasses a wide range of diagnoses-which is why HB 141 doesn’t list diagnosis but instead requires a provider to prescribe PPEC as a needed service. There are few care setting options for these children: they can live at home with direct care from their family, they can live at home with in-home nursing or they can live in a residential setting like a skilled nursing facility. While all of these options are needed, providing PPEC centers would be one more option for families attempting to support their children in thriving at home,” Baker said.
While the nation is undergoing a lot of changes in the field of healthcare, especially with medicaid and medicare cuts, and the new regulations on processed food, there are also many gains for the state of Ohio in the field of healthcare. There are new bills being introduced that would benefit Ohio.
As Americans step into National Health Awareness month, there is a lot to be aware of, ranging from new health policies at the national and state level, some common health issues and more. Staying informed on these issues is important.
“My message to the young students in Ohio is to get active in your communities and learn everything you can! We are living in a time, where we are inundated by a lot of information. And while all of this information is important, it is important to fully understand the actual policy efforts going behind the decisions made in the Ohio legislature,” Baker said.
