It’s Personal: Christin Godale’s Path to Epilepsy Research

As a child growing up with epilepsy, Christin Godale experienced stigma and exclusion by her peers, driving her to hide her condition from friends and classmates. But a neurologist’s encouragement sparked Christin’s interest in understanding her own epilepsy and eventually brought her to acceptance, advocacy, and the pursuit of her PhD in neuroscience with the ultimate the goal of becoming an epilepsy researcher.

On this episode of Seizing Life, University of Cincinnati PhD candidate Christin Godale tells us about her experiences growing-up with epilepsy, how it affected her childhood and adolescence, and why she chose to be more public about her condition. Christin also gives advice and encouragement for kids and parents going through their own epilepsy journeys.

In addition to these invaluable experiences, Christin explains the promising epilepsy research in which she is currently involved. She is exploring if rapamycin, a drug approved by the FDA to treat other conditions, can reduce the frequency, duration, and severity of seizures, and possibly disrupt epileptogenesis. Plus, she reveals how CURE played a role in her pursuing and landing at Dr. Steve Danzer’s lab at Cincinnati’s Children’s Hospital.

Christin’s journey from epilepsy patient to epilepsy researcher is an inspiring story of embracing a challenge and turning it into a career.

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