Andover Girl Fighting Epilepsy Gives Back with Clothing and Food

Katie Kavka is a 9 year old 3rd grader from Andover. She was diagnosed with epilepsy at age 7. “She never let the diagnosis stop her: she loves playing hockey, soccer, softball, and acting,” said her mother Karen. “Through perseverance she shows us all that we should not let anything stand in the way of what you want to do,” said Susan Linn, President/CEO of Epilepsy Foundation New England. “Her school and the community have been wonderfully supportive,” said Karen Kavka.

Katie wants to help other kids like her have access to Epilepsy Foundation New England’s Purple Camps. The Foundation’s 15 camps give kids with epilepsy the chance to make friends, have fun, and build their confidence. Katie participated in last summer’s Purple Camp at Ironstone Farm. Fifteen kids rode horses, learned horsemanship skills, and even vaulted by the end of the week. Katie said, “It was amazing to be able to stand on a horse, and I loved meeting other kids who understand epilepsy. I made so many friends! I can’t wait to go back this year.” The camp’s therapeutic horseback riding is staffed with dozens of volunteers who act as sidewalkers to ensure participants are safe in the event of a seizure. A nurse is present and helps provide seizure first aid.

Epilepsy is a neurological disorder characterized by unpredictable seizures that are like electrical storms in the brain. Epilepsy is a spectrum condition with a wide range of seizure types and treatments. The many faces of epilepsy include epilepsy that begins in infancy to onset in older adulthood, and from those almost completely disabled by their seizures to those whose seizures are almost fully controlled and who live typical lives. One in 26 people develop epilepsy over the course of their lifetime.

Last month, Katie told her parents, “I want to give back.” She decided to host a clothing and ketogenic food drive to raise funds to support the camp programs and people living with epilepsy. “Our wonderful camp programs cost $160,000 per year and would not be possible without the generous support of thousands of individual donors who give money and/or donate clothes and household items. We fundraise all year to bring joy, confidence, community, and fun to more than 225 campers who are often excluded from traditional camp programs,” said Linn.

“The more people who tell their story, the more people understand epilepsy, and the less afraid people are to talk about it,” says Chanda Gunn. Gunn is the former goaltender for the US Women’s Ice Hockey Team and a mentor to Katie. “I developed epilepsy when I was 9, and I went on to play in 3 Olympics. Now I work to help younger people find their special gifts, and everyone has one. Katie is very special to me.”

This April, Katie invites you to donate your gently used clothing and ketogenic foods to support Epilepsy Foundation New England. Drop off locations are: Andover Police Department, 32 North Main Street; Cedardale, 307 Lowell Street; Ironstone Farm, 450 Lowell Street. Clothing Items include tops, pants, jeans, shorts, ties/scarves, dresses, skirts, gowns, suits, sweaters, sweats, vests, blazers, tee-shirts, pj's, socks, tights, belts, coats, ski pants, mittens, gloves, hats, scarves, rain-gear, bathing suits, uniforms, Costumes/Dress Up Clothes, Fabric/Fabric Scraps/Yarn, Small Throw Rugs, Towels/Wash Cloths, Shower Curtains/Bath Mats Drapes/Curtains, Sheets/Pillow Cases, Tablecloths, Cloth Napkins, etc.

The ketogenic diet is a special high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet that helps to control seizures in some people with epilepsy. Doctors usually recommend the ketogenic diet for children whose seizures have not responded to several different seizure medicines. The ketogenic diet can be costly, and for those who are low-income of food unstable, the diet can be out of reach. Items collected through Katie’s Drive will be delivered to local food pantries who have recently received training about the diet from Epilepsy Foundation New England. Ketogenic food items we are seeking are: Canned Fish; Canned Tuna in oil; Canned Chicken; MCT Oil; Coconut, Avocado, Almond, or Olive Oil; Coconut Flour; Almond Flour; Hazelnut Flour; Flax Seeds; Hemp Seeds; Flax Seed meal; Low Carb Protein; Powder; Pecans; Almonds; Macadamia Nuts; Pistachios; Olives or Stuffed Olives; Almond or Macadamia Milk; Coconut Butter; Lilys Dark Chocolate Chips; Baking Cocoa; Cocoa Powder; Truvia; Stevia; Swerve; All Natural Peanut, Almond, Pecan, or Sunflower Butter (no sugar added); All Natural Sunflower Butter; Cooking Spray; Zevia; Crystal Lite; Powerade Zero; Sugar Free Jello; Whisps; Moon Cheese; Smart Sweets; Quest Bars; Pork Rinds; Gelatin; Baking Powder; Baking Soda.

Epilepsy Foundation New England is a 501 c 3 nonprofit organization whose mission is to help people and families affected by epilepsy in New England. Epilepsy Foundation NE is an independent affiliate of Epilepsy Foundation of America whose mission is to lead the fight to overcome the challenges of living with epilepsy and to accelerate therapies to stop seizures, find cures, and save lives. The Foundation serves the approximately 100,000 people in Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island affected by epilepsy and the people who care for them with Help for Today, Hope for Tomorrow.