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Epilepsy & Disability
Elevating voices affected by chronic illness, disability, and barriers to care, education, and opportunity.
Changing the Narrative on Epilepsy
Advocacy.
Access.
Awareness.
Seize the Change is a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering nurses, patients, and communities through advocacy, education, and lived experience.
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Our Mission
Breaking stigma and building access through lived experience.
Seize the Change exists to break stigmas, spark change in healthcare systems, and provide insight at the intersection of nursing, epilepsy, mental health, disability, and legal advocacy.
Epilepsy Awareness
A symbol of strength, visibility, and change.
The purple ribbon represents epilepsy awareness and the continued work of reducing stigma, expanding understanding, and creating space for lived experience to be heard.
What We Do
Focus Areas
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Health Policy Awareness
Helping communities better understand healthcare systems, patient rights, and access challenges.
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Trauma-Informed Storytelling
Using lived experience to educate, reduce stigma, and create space for healing and advocacy.
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Nurse Wellness & Empowerment
Supporting nurses through professional advocacy, visibility, wellness, and honest storytelling.
Founder
Jonnie Turlington
Jonnie Turlington founded Seize the Change to turn lived experience into advocacy that empowers nurses, patients, and communities. As an elementary school nurse and epilepsy advocate in Dallas, Texas, she is passionate about reducing stigma, increasing access, and using storytelling to create meaningful change.
📍LocationDallas, Texas
🎓BSN in NursingTexas Christian University
🎓MSN in Nursing AdministrationLiberty University
💼ProfessionElementary School Nurse
Published WorkPracticing with EpilepsyAmerican Nurse Journal • Volume 21, Issue 4 • April 2026
Share Your Story
Your story can help someone else feel less alone.
Lived experience can reduce stigma, educate others, and remind someone else that they are not alone. Seize the Change welcomes stories from nurses, patients, caregivers, advocates, and community members.
Submissions are reviewed before anything is shared publicly.
Support the Mission
Help move advocacy, education, and storytelling forward.
Your support helps Seize the Change expand awareness, elevate lived experience, and build community around epilepsy, disability, chronic illness, and access to care.
Featured Publication
Practicing with Epilepsy
Jonnie’s article highlights the realities faced by nurses living with seizure disorders and the importance of reducing stigma, increasing understanding, and creating supportive healthcare environments.
Join Us
Let’s seize the change — together.
Connect with Seize the Change for advocacy, collaboration, storytelling, and community education.