Round Top Student Wins Epilepsy Scholarship for State Legislature Advocacy

In April of 2008, Julia Patterson, 18 of Round Top, was just like any other kindergartener. Then, one evening, she was life-flighted to Houston, put on a ventilator, and diagnosed with epilepsy.

Over the years, Julia’s epilepsy proved unresponsive to medicine; on an average day she had 200 seizures. She began a 10-year-long search for an effective way to manage the condition – trying multiple approaches including a surgery that separated the halves of her brain and a strict ketogenic diet. She was told by her doctor that there was nothing more they could do for her.

All of that changed in 2015 when Julia was introduced to a prescription for CBD oil as a chance for a more independent life. At that time, the Texas legislature was considering The Compassionate Use Act, with the goal of allowing doctors to prescribe low-THC cannabis to patients with intractable epilepsy. Julia took her voice and a list of names of undecided legislators to Austin, lobbying for the passage of the bill by sharing her story.

The bill passed, and in 2018 she received her first prescription. After just two months of treatment, Julia was seizure-free. She was even able to get her driver’s license – a major mile stone.

Today, Julia is an epilepsy advocate and spokesperson for prescription CBD oil. She’s testified before the Texas Senate Health and Human Services Committee and House Subcommittee on Medical Marijuana in support of the 2019 House Bill 3703.

In honor of her advocacy work, Julia was awarded a $10,000 Epilepsy Leader Scholarship by the UCB Family Epilepsy Scholarship Program, which offers educational scholarships to people living with epilepsy, family members and caregivers to help them fulfill their dreams.