Living with epilepsy has forced me to slow down, adapt, and learn something I should not have had to learn the hard way: giving myself grace. I have had to make changes to my life to support my epilepsy, and that includes allowing myself to rest when my body tells me I need to. Opening up about epilepsy and learning to navigate life differently has been transformative, but it has also shown me how many people are expected to just push through. We cannot keep acting like rest, flexibility, and basic understanding are optional.

For people living with epilepsy, a rigid work environment can make an already difficult condition even harder to manage. When someone needs a schedule adjustment, a break, or understanding after a seizure or a difficult day, that should not be treated like a lack of commitment. It is about health, safety, and dignity. Too many people are left feeling like they have to choose between taking care of themselves and keeping their job.

That is why I am calling on employers to require reasonable workplace flexibility for employees with epilepsy. This means clear accommodation policies, flexibility for medical needs, space to rest when needed, and training so managers understand epilepsy instead of making harmful assumptions. People with epilepsy should not have to beg for compassion or hide what they are dealing with just to be treated fairly.

Giving yourself grace is important, but our workplaces need to make room for that grace too. If you believe people with epilepsy deserve support, not punishment, please sign this petition and help demand workplaces that treat our health like it matters.