San Francisco VA Health Care System
Epilepsy Center Featured in PBS Documentary
A new PBS documentary featuring SFVAMC's Epilepsy Center of Excellence is now available online and will be airing locally on KQED World.
Epilepsy Center Featured in PBS Documentary
Did you know that the San Francisco VA Medical Center (SFVAMC) is a national leader in the treatment of epilepsy? Learn more about how SFVAMC providers are helping Veterans cope with epilepsy through innovative research and treatment in the upcoming documentary, SEIZED: Inside the Mystery of Epilepsy.
SEIZED: Inside the Mystery of Epilepsy follows the personal struggles of four individuals and their families as they face the huge challenges of living with epilepsy and courageously search for new treatments. One of these is Andy, an Army Veteran who began having seizures after serving in Afghanistan. Andy receives treatment at the SFVAMC’s Epilepsy Center of Excellence, where he learned that a blast he experienced during his deployment in Afghanistan likely caused traumatic brain injury, which led to post-traumatic epilepsy. Researchers believe that Andy’s case offers promising new insights into one of the root causes of epilepsy.
The documentary also features insights from Karen Parko, MD, Inaugural Director of the VA National Epilepsy Centers of Excellence and a longtime neurologist at SFVAMC. Dr. Parko hopes that the documentary will increase awareness of epilepsy in both Veterans and their healthcare providers. “All too often, doctors don’t suspect epilepsy when they see young Veterans returning from combat,” says Dr. Parko. “Veterans will report seizure-like symptoms that sometimes are mistaken as PTSD. I want providers to think about epilepsy as a possibility when they see returning Veterans with episodic symptoms. Seizures do not always involve body movements.”
“I want Veterans who have suffered a blast injury to not to be afraid that they will develop epilepsy but if they do, I want them to know that there are excellent resources available within the VA and that the VA health system is a national leader in cohesive clinical care in epilepsy,” says Dr. Parko. “The Epilepsy Centers are always available to them if they have questions or want to learn more.”
You can watch SEIZED: Inside the Mystery of Epilepsy on the PBS website here. The documentary will air locally on KQED World on May 6 at 7 a.m. and 1 p.m., and on May 13 at 7 a.m. and 1 p.m.
