Stanthorpe teen Kiara Osborne to climb Story Bridge, raises thousands in name of epilepsy awareness

A shock diagnosis has spurred a Stanthorpe high school student to challenge the stigma around the chronic condition while raising crucial dollars in an inspirational awareness campaign.

Kiara Osborne, 16, is raising funds and awareness for epilepsy this month. Picture: contributed

After receiving a shock epilepsy diagnosis last year, a brave Stanthorpe teenager has taken her experience and turned it into an inspirational campaign to raise awareness and funds for the condition.

Sixteen-year-old Kiara Osborne was on holiday with her family and their friends last Easter when she suddenly had her first seizure, a frightening experience that left her and those closest to her stumped as to its cause.

The St Joseph’s student said she then suffered another several seizures in the following weeks, undergoing thorough testing and trialling different medications before ultimately receiving the epilepsy diagnosis.

Kiara Osborne, 16, is raising funds and awareness for epilepsy this month. Picture: contributed

“I’d never had a seizure before last year so we didn’t really know what it was or what had caused it,” Kiara said.

“We tried a medication that didn’t work, then they put me on a second one that was more directed at the type of seizures I have and I haven’t had one since.”

Epilepsy is a neurological condition in which nerve cell activity in the brain is disturbed, causing seizures and other symptoms such as sensory disturbance and loss of consciousness.

The World Health Organisation suggests the cause of the chronic condition is unknown in up to 50 per cent of cases globally, and stigma still follows epilepsy in many places around the world.

It is this stigma Kiara is fighting to change through this month’s Make March Purple campaign, an annual drive run by Epilepsy Queensland to raise funds and awareness for the condition.

Now six months seizure-free but still adjusting to the challenges of living with epilepsy while balancing high school, work, and hobbies, Kiara said she wanted to tell her community that it was far more common than many think.

“Before I was diagnosed, I didn’t know much about it or know anyone who had it, but I do know now that a few of my friends who I was around once a week, every week have it and I didn’t even know it,” she said.

“I’ve got my school involved and we’ll be having an epilepsy awareness day on Monday.

“We’re going to do a colouring-in competition, a first aid poster, and we have wristbands to give out, and it’ll be good to raise awareness around the school because so few people know about it.”

Kiara and a friend joining her in the fundraiser have together raised more than $3000 so far throughout their campaign, and are on Friday going to set their sights even higher as they climb the Story Bridge to celebrate another successful Make March Purple.

The inspiring young guns will be joined by a team of high-profile guests including Deputy Premier Steven Miles and Brisbane radio presenters.

“I’m really excited, and it will be great to do it with a friend who is also affected by it and share that experience with her,” Kiara said.

“It’s great that we have so many people around us in Stanthorpe who are able to support us and help us raise awareness.

“(Epilepsy) isn’t something you can tell someone has, and it doesn’t make them a different person or become something you should judge them on.

“They’re the exact same person, they just have something in their brain that affects them, and I think that’s the main thing I want people to take away from this.”

If you would like to donate to Kiara’s Purple Bridge Climb challenge, click here.

Originally published as Stanthorpe teen Kiara Osborne to climb Story Bridge, raises thousands in name of epilepsy awareness