Competitive runner tackles seizures by doing what she loves
Nov 28, 2017, 7:32 PM | Updated: 7:38 pm
DUBLIN– Competitive runner Katie Cooke faces physical obstacles that extend beyond the track.
A YouTube video shows the struggles the 20-year-old faces on a daily basis. She was diagnosed with two types of epilepsy and routinely has about 14 seizures each day.
The video shows her shaking on the floor during one of her spells. Immediately after, she takes a few seconds to get up and brush herself off.
Cooke was in a wheelchair, but has gradually gotten better.
“(The seizures) used to be 16, and 17 -so we are coming down slightly, which is whew,” Cooke said with a smile.
Seizures don’t stop the woman who sometimes has an episode while running a competitive race. Her doctor, a neurologist, is her running partner to help ensure she is OK. The doctor also helps her continue the race once the medical episode is over.
Now, she has a newfound energy.
“You feel like on top of the world – like you can do anything,” Cooke said. “…I don’t let anything really get in the way of living life.”