Dream realised: Molly relaxes in her own room. Picture: Matthew Furneaux
FOR Molly, having a bedroom of her own is something dreams are made of.
Until a few months ago, due to her epilepsy, the 11-year-old Sunbury resident had to share a bedroom with her parents.
"She's been sleeping in our room the last 11 years and she's doing really well [since moving into her own room]," her mum Kellie Clohessy said.
"We purchased a mattress and it's very sensitive and detects when she's having seizures and it can pick up on [signs] when her heart stops. I have a pager in my room and it beeps if she's having a seizure."
Mrs Clohessy said the family wouldn't have been able to buy the mattress and other vital equipment without the help of the Epilepsy Foundation.
Molly was just 8 1/2 months old when she had her first seizure and was diagnosed with epilepsy at 15 months old. She was later diagnosed with Dravet syndrome, the most severe form of epilepsy.
Molly had her last seizure 18 months ago and had to spend two weeks in hospital.
The grade 5 pupil has since returned to her school and will start at Sunbury Macedon Ranges Specialist School next term.
"We get to go shopping, do music and art; we do cooking and get to do bike education on Fridays," Molly says. "I love riding bikes."
The foundation has released a new schools program, and Molly is part of it.
"Molly was in a video with two boys who also have epilepsy. The video is to help families try and understand that people with epilepsy don't need to be treated any different," Ms Clohessy said.
"It shows that these kids can be treated like a normal child; they just need extra time and care."
March is Epilepsy Awareness Month. Information: epinet.org.au/