Please sign if you agree that having epilepsy affects your studies and that this decision is wrong! My university believes having seizures does NOT affect studying. 

I plan to get legal advice. Any help would be greatly appreciated 

buymeacoffee.com/davidwc1308/discriminated-epilepsy-raising-funds-see-lawyer

My name is David Christie, and I was diagnosed with epilepsy at the age of 14. Now at 37, I continue to experience significant physical and mental challenges related to this condition. I have kept my diagnosis private from friends and family, as I have felt embarrassed and wished to avoid being treated differently. I now let everyone know, as I have finally realised that there is nothing wrong with being epileptic.

I am reaching out to seek your support in signing my petition, which I hope resonates with you. To put it simply, my university states that epilepsy doesn't affect my studies, as I completed some units. I ask for a signature to prove this is simply not true and that this, in fact, is extreme discrimination against anyone with a disability/illness. I have completed my undergraduate degree and have been pursuing my Master of Arts for the past few years. Unfortunately, I have faced several relapses due to my epilepsy, which forced me to withdraw from some units, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic, when my symptoms worsened.

This year, I applied for a refund for the units I could not complete, as I am committed to finishing my Master's at my beloved university. However, my request was denied because my condition was pre-existing and that my completion of some units indicated I should have been able to complete the others.

This past year has been particularly challenging. At the end of last year, I was thriving in my career as a duty manager, but I began experiencing severe seizures that ultimately required airlifting to Cairns Hospital. The denial of my refund feels deeply insulting and discriminatory, as it dismisses the serious impact of epilepsy on my life and the lives of others affected by this condition. I have held these concerns for a long time, and my initial appeal was declined, leaving me with little confidence that a subsequent appeal will yield a different outcome.

I kindly ask for your support in this matter to bolster my appeal for reimbursement for the units I paid for. This reimbursement will directly contribute to completing my Master's degree.

Here is the reply to why I was declined by the university.

In your case, we considered the evidence for each of the above circumstances.
1. There is no evidence provided to support the circumstances being beyond your control.
You were diagnosed with epilepsy when you were 14 years old, and whilst it has impacted
you at different levels since then, it shows that your condition is pre-existing and not
unusual as it relates to you.

2. There is no evidence to support that your circumstance did not make its full impact until on
or after the census date. You mention in your impact statement that your epileptic seizures
started to become more frequent from 2020, which shows that the full impact occurred
before the census date and even before the course commencement date.

3. There is no evidence to support that your circumstances made it impracticable for you to
continue in your studies. Between 2021 and 2024,  you were able to pass many subjects
, which indicates that your condition didn’t make it impractical for you to continue to study
during this time period 

Finally, I would like to add that my GP, who treated me during this time in Melbourne, gave 100% support to my reimbursement, but it was still denied. Next appointment with my neurologist is next month to see if I am eligible for brain surgery. 

Still having fits and seeing a neurologist again to see if I am eligible for surgery. 

David