The Purple Glow Foundation

01/10/2025

Purple Larks: He’s Being Grilled 🔥

Many people with epilepsy experience different types of seizures, triggered by many different things. For some, it’s sudden noise. For others, it’s anger. And for many, it’s FEAR 😱.

When someone is frightened, the body naturally releases adrenaline. This raises the heart rate, builds body heat, and creates tension. For those whose seizures are triggered by fear, that moment, or a prolonged state of fear can spark a chain reaction leading to a seizure.

The Foundation is currently handling a case involving a young man in a boarding school. The school reached out after noticing repetitive seizures. One teacher, remembering our founder’s awareness session at UTH’s Clinic 4, contacted us and even shared a video of the boy’s seizure. From our assessment, these appear to be partial seizures.

What stood out was the pattern: His seizures occurred at almost the same times each day, around midday or 6PM during study sessions. To test this, he was allowed to study alone. No seizure occurred. This pointed us to two likely triggers:

1. Excessive Heat: Zambia is experiencing very high temperatures this season. Studying in a crowded, poorly ventilated room raises body heat and heart rate significantly. The situation worsens with strict school rules requiring students to wear sweaters at all times. This is unsafe not just for those with epilepsy, but also for those on the autism spectrum and others sensitive to heat.

2. Fear and Stigma: In group settings, the young man may be facing mockery, stigma, or the fear of embarrassment. Emotional pressure fuels nervousness, which spikes adrenaline levels and can trigger seizures.

In both cases - the GenZ double entendre applies - "He's Being Grilled". But What can be done?

1. Schools should relax rules about wearing sweaters during hot seasons. “The smart man knows no weather” may be a saying, but not every body can endure extreme heat.
2. Communities must promote epilepsy awareness. No student should fear being mocked when they have a seizure. They deserve to feel safe, understood, and supported.

No one should have to study in fear of their own body—or the judgment of others. Epilepsy must be openly discussed, free from stigma, so that those living with it can feel comfortable and accepted in every space.

30/09/2025

A newborn not crying at birth is not a call for “discipline session” with slaps on the backside please ! 🤣

In fact, slapping a baby can cause harm to the brain and may increase risks of complications including seizures which may occur later on in the child's life.

The correct medical response is to ensure the baby’s airway is clear then gently stimulate them under medical guidance e.g. provide more oxygen to the baby, do not use force.

Let’s spread awareness:
Healthy beginnings matter,
Safe care at birth can reduces the chances or and even prevent .

12/04/2025

Focal impaired awareness seizure
(previously called a complex partial seizure)
Focal impaired awareness seizures affect a bigger part of one hemisphere (side) of the brain than focal aware seizures.
The person’s consciousness is affected and they may be confused. They might be able to hear you, but not fully understand what you say or be able to respond to you. They may not react as they would normally. If you speak loudly to them, they may think you are being aggressive
and so they may react aggressively towards you.
FIAS often happen in the temporal lobes but can happen in other parts of the brain.

Focal impaired awareness seizures that start in the temporal lobe may include:
picking up objects for no reason or fiddling with clothing
chewing or lip-smacking movements
muttering or repeating words that don't make sense
wandering around in a confused way.
These seizures may last around two or three minutes.

Focal impaired awareness seizures that start in the frontal lobe may include:
making a loud cry or scream
making strange postures or movements such as cycling or kicking.
These seizures usually last around 15 - 30 seconds.

Focal impaired awareness seizures in the parietal or occipital lobes are less common than in the temporal or frontal lobes. Like the focal aware seizures, focal impaired awareness seizures in the parietal and occipital lobes can affect the person’s senses or vision. These seizures usually last around 15 - 30 seconds.

After a focal impaired awareness seizure, the person may be confused for a while, sometimes called 'post-ictal' (after seizure) confusion. It may be hard to tell when the seizure has ended. The person might be tired and want to rest. They may not remember the seizure afterwards. - Source Epilepsy Society.

09/04/2025

Purple Lark: The Right Dose of Love;
Supporting Loved Ones with Epilepsy.

When someone we love has epilepsy, we often want to protect them by limiting what they can do. But sometimes, in trying to care, we unintentionally make their burden heavier. Epilepsy doesn’t define a person, and neither should our love. Just as epilepsy treatment is personalized, so should be the way we offer care.

Some people with epilepsy are outgoing and determined to live their lives fully. They need encouragement and praise for maintaining their identity, with gentle reminders of the boundaries their condition requires. Others may feel defeated, letting their condition define them, losing the things they once loved. These individuals need extra support, helping them rediscover their passions and reminding them they’re not defined by their condition.

Then there are those who seem to have given up, engaging in risky behaviors or withdrawing from life. These loved ones need guidance to reconnect with their purpose and humanity.

The mistake many families make is offering love that either restricts too much or doesn't provide enough support. Overprotecting or constantly pointing out limitations can make the person feel helpless. It's like stubbing your toe—you don’t feel the pain until you focus on it. But if you look away, the pain fades. The wrong dose of love keeps the pain in focus, making it harder to heal.

So, families—have you found the right balance? Love isn’t about overprotecting or letting go. It’s about supporting them in a way that empowers, encourages, and allows them to thrive.

Bright M Bwalya

03/04/2025

Purple Lark: What can we Learn from - "What Caused It"

Our Recent lark about Bright 's Story of what caused his seizures or how they started packs a number of lessons we need to know, Here are some:

For People Living with Epilepsy

1. Trauma Can Trigger Seizures – Injuries like head trauma or shocks can cause epilepsy. If your seizures start suddenly, dig deeper into possible causes

2. Acceptance Is key - It's HERE and crying about it, pretending it's not there, hiding feeling shame e.t.c won't take it away - it just worsens your condition by bringing stress which triggers more seizures and the cycle continues.

3. Self-Education is Power – Doctors may not explain everything. Learn about epilepsy, track your symptoms, and advocate for yourself.

4. Mental Health Matters – Seizures can lead to depression. Find support and seek help when needed—you are not alone

For Caregivers & Family

1. Listen & Learn, Don’t Assume – Seizures are medical, not spiritual. Understanding the condition helps provide real support - "The better the support the better the patient will be"

2. Encourage Medical Attention – Seek medical help instead of relying on myths. Early diagnosis and treatment improves quality of life.

3. Support, Don’t Stigmatize – Fear and judgment make things worse. Be patient, show kindness, and encourage independence not isolation or confinement.

For the General Public

1. Epilepsy is Not Possession – Seizures are neurological, not supernatural or psychological. Treating epilepsy as a curse harms those living with it.

2. Stigma Hurts More Than the Condition – Fear and discrimination isolates people with epilepsy. You understanding and acceptance makes a difference.

3. Know Basic Seizure First Aid – It's not Contagious so don't run. If you see saliva pouring from the mouth, turn the person on their side gently, do not try to restrain body movements with strong pulls and restraint, remove warm things and shoes on them, clear the area, and time the seizure. Never put anything in their mouth or over the nose

02/04/2025

Purple Thought : Demons Vs Anticonvulsants 🤔

So Picture This :

A demonic Master finds a lesser spirit servant not working, it asks in fury - "Why are you not working 😡?"

The cowering demon, sweating (despite being a spirit), points weakly to a medicine bottle labeled "Levetiracetam" on a nearby table and stammers:

"T-the human took Levetiracetam sir 😰 I can not seize them now!"

The furious master demon shakes the room as the lesser spirit trembles, defeated by modern anticonvulsants - is paused 🤔
🤣🤣

Live Laugh & Love - it's a Bright World, & Non See,
Be the among those that Do.

01/04/2025

Purple Lark: My First Seizure - What Caused It?

Here is Bright 's story continued ...

It was just a regular day—everything was cool. I was a student, working part-time at Vodafone, making enough to get by. That morning, I got into a small argument with my mom. Not about me asking for money—nope, it was her pushing money on me. I didn’t want it; I liked standing on my own, lifting some stress off their shoulders. But we argued, she won, and the money showed up anyway.

Midday, I met a friend, and we had this silly argument—Ndola shawarmas versus Kitwe’s. We laughed, I was handed a Ndola one to test it, and I headed home. At The Copperbelt University bus stop along Jambo Drive as you head towards VML, a car stopped by. “Hey, want a lift?” the driver asked. I said no, my place was just meters away, but next thing I knew, they forced me in. Three guys—driver, front seat, and one next to me. Doors locked, and we were gone.

They took me somewhere quiet, parked, and started grabbing my stuff: sharwama, watch, bracelet, shoes, hoodie, shirt. When they went for my wallet, I told them to take the cash Mom sent but leave the rest. I wasn’t even scared—just sarcastic. “Can I keep my NRC? I hate lining up for a new one.” They didn’t laugh. Got a slap instead and a “shut up.” As they reached for my glasses, another sarcastic comment came: "Those glasses aren't cool shades, just prescription, useless to you. Besides, the left lens is different from the right one. 😂" That pi**ed them off more. Out came the taser—zapped me over and over. It hurt a lot. By the end, I was out of it. They snatched my work phone and dumped me on the road, half-dressed, just jeans a vest.

I made it back to the house I shared with my then-flatmate. Told him, in shock, he said, “Wait, you got abducted?” “Yeah,” I said, still wrapping my head around it.

Weird thing—I wasn’t scared in the car. Fear hit later, safe at home, when I realized I could’ve died. Shook me up, but I kept going.

A few weeks later, visiting family in Kasama, I had this odd déjà vu moment. Ignored it. Back in Kitwe, I went to a church conference. After the sermon, I was having lunch, chatting with friends in the blazing sun. Then—boom—gone. Woke up with people around me, all worried, asking, “You okay?” I didn’t get it—to me, I'd just been sitting there and I blinked. That’s when “Are you okay?” started following me around.

It got worse. Falls all the time, waking up with stains on my clothes, no clue how. Hospitals became normal. Told my family—they were scared obviously. People started throwing out wild ideas, nothing medical, all spiritual.

Soon enough, depression kicked in. Seizures were running my life—five a day sometimes. Health tanked, friends disappeared, everything I liked faded. Oh, and I got dumped—🤭.

Doctors didn’t say much, but I figured it out after years of reading - Those taser shocks messed up my brain. Took my own digging to see it—no one warned me. Suddenly I could tell when I was about to have a seizure, I got the feeling and turned on the camera, started waiting for the seizure as the PC recorded it. Watched it back and searched online. Found out seizures can start small, get bigger, turn into other types if you don’t handle them, my mom was too afraid to watch the video, you know why 🤷

What sucked most? No one around me understood it. Instead of facts, I got superstitions. Instead of help, I got weird stares and nicknames . When the seizures got worse, people swore I was possessed.

The young Bright's Smile faded into depression. 😔

To be continued ...

31/03/2025

Purple Lark: What Can We Learn 🤔

Citing the Bright 's story from the Previous Lark,
Many lessons can be picked from just the initial phase of his journey with his seizures.

1. Seizures Are Confusing—But You Are Not Alone.

Waking up to concerned faces while feeling "completely fine" can be unsettling. If you’ve ever felt lost about what happened—know that many others have felt the same way. But with time, knowledge, and support, it gets easier to manage.

2. Doctors May Not Explain Everything—So Learn & Ask Questions.

Many patients walk away from their first diagnosis confused. If a doctor doesn’t explain, don’t be afraid to ask: "What does this medication do? How will it affect me?" Understanding epilepsy makes the journey less scary.

3. Medication Takes Time to Work—Stick With It.

At first, treatment might feel like it’s making things worse, but that’s often part of the adjustment period. Over time, the right medication can reduce seizures and help regain control. Caregivers should encourage patience, not pressure.

4. Epilepsy Can Change Life—But It Doesn't End It.

Losing activities you love is painful, but adaptation is possible. If basketball is too risky, coaching might be an option. If spoken word poetry is hard, writing might be a way forward. Patients need to grieve their losses but also be encouraged to rediscover joy in new ways.

5. Misconceptions Hurt More Than the Condition—Let’s Educate, Not Assume or Judge.

Saying "You’re demon-possessed" is not only incorrect—it’s harmful. Instead, caregivers and communities should learn about epilepsy and be supportive rather than superstitious.

6. Faith & Science Work Together, Not Against Each Other.

Taking medicine is not a sign of weak faith. If epilepsy were a demon, why would a tablet stop it? Recognizing epilepsy as a medical condition is the first step to proper care and healing—both physically and emotionally.

7. Caregivers & Friends Make a Difference—Be Present.

Isolation is one of the hardest battles for someone with epilepsy. Caregivers and friends don’t always need to "fix" things—just being there, listening, and treating them as a whole person and not a condition makes a world of difference to them.

8. Seizures Are Not the End of Your Story.

Life with epilepsy may be different, but it can still be beautiful. Many people with epilepsy build careers, relationships, and even lead movements for change. With the right knowledge and support, you can too.

Let's Live, Laugh and Love,
It's a Bright World yet Non-See,
Be among those that Do.

28/03/2025

Purple Lark : My First Seizure

Here is a Narrative from our founder - Bright M Bwalya about his time after the first seizure.

My first seizure happened in March 2016, and it caught me completely by surprise, bringing with it a wave of confusion. I had been well all along—so what could have possibly gone wrong? That question echoed in my mind, but what confused me even more were the worried looks on people's faces as they asked, "Are you okay?" - To me, I was just seated there. What were they talking about?

The moment between having a seizure and waking up from one felt invisible. I only noticed something had actually happened when I saw stains on my clothes. But no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t remember how the dirt got there. The confusion only deepened when the falls became repetitive, and a friend suggested I see a doctor.
So, I did.

But for some reason, the doctor didn’t explain anything to me. As I struggled to put into words what was happening, I had another seizure—right there in the doctor's office. Her response? “Ohh, that’s what you meant.” No explanation. No reassurance. Just a prescription handed over.
Looking at it, I saw a strange name: "Carbamazipine". I thought it was just messy handwriting common with doctors 😒, but when I got to the hospital pharmacy, there it was—exactly as written.

That was the beginning of a whole new experience that I wasn’t prepared for.
At first, I thought the medication was making things worse because the hospital visits became routine—every Wednesday. It affected my studies, and my lecturers began assuming I was just skipping classes. The truth? I would return late and exhausted, unable to keep up.

Slowly, my seizures took away the things I loved. -Basketball – Gone.
- Spoken word poetry – Impossible.
- Evening walks – Too risky.
- Programming – My focus was failing me.
- Social life – Non-existent.
and yes—I lost friends.
You guessed it - I was even dumped after hearing the classic promise: “I will be with you till the end of time.” Turns out, time had an expiration date 😂,
But hey, I won’t drop names. 🤐

Then came the misconceptions. The first—and perhaps the hardest—was being told that I was demon-possessed. This claim didn’t sit right with me. As a Christian, I believed that my body was the temple of God. If light and darkness cannot coexist, how could I be possessed? - How was God cohabiting with the devil in the same house ?
But as my seizures increased—five a day, almost at the same time daily—people around me were convinced the "Cohabiting" was true - I had a demon possessing me. My faith remained unshaken,
Besides - common sense challenged the demon theory when I thought "What type of demon bends at the command of Carbamazipine?" - it's a medicine tablet 🤷

But the battle between what I was told and what I believed was only beginning…

To Be Continued ...


,

17/03/2025

Purple Lark: Breaking the Silence.

Bright M Bwalya shared :

As someone living with epilepsy, I've learned that taking medication is crucial for managing seizures. However, I used to feel shy about taking my meds in public, fearing stigma and judgment.

But after experiencing seizures in public due to skipping my medication, I realized that hiding my condition was doing more harm than good.

Now, I proudly carry my medication in a transparent pocket in my wallet. When people notice it and give awkward stares, I take the opportunity to educate them about epilepsy.

By being open and vocal about my condition, I've found that it reduces stigma and helps others understand what epilepsy is, people fear what they do not know and if our mouths stay shut about the condition - it will forever be feared.

To my fellow epileptics, I urge you to speak up and share your stories. Let's break the silence and create a more supportive and informed community!
Even your medicine can be a tool for awareness,
Mine Is 🤷

Share because

22/02/2025

Purple Lark: Are We Really Treating the Cause? 🤔

Epilepsy is a Condition that requires specialized care from neurologists and epileptologists. Yet, many affected individuals are being treated by psychologists. While mental health support is crucial, it’s not a substitute for the right medical care for people living with

Let’s raise awareness about the importance of proper diagnosis and treatment for epilepsy. The right care matters! 💜

12/02/2025

The Purple Lark: End Epilepsy Stigma in Zambia.

Over 237,500 reported cases of Zambians live with epilepsy, yet many suffer in silence due to stigma, myths, and lack of proper healthcare. Bright M Bwalya, an epilepsy warrior himself, refused to stay silent. After experiencing the challenges firsthand, he founded The Purple Glow Foundation and developed the Seizure Assistant app to provide awareness, improve care, and train nurses to diagnose epilepsy early.

It’s time to end the stigma, improve healthcare, and save lives! Sign the petition to demand action from the Ministry of Health. Together, we can make a difference! 💜

Kindly Note: You don't have to pay the $8 being asked,
For Donations,
Contact us through +260 978040204 or write to Bright M. Bwalya on brightmbwalya1@gmail.com.

End Epilepsy Stigma in Zambia: Train Nurses, Improve Care & Save Lives!