Embracing Hope Together

Happy birthday to our very own Susan Linville Branin! Yall help me wish her the best birthday, ever! Thank you Susan for the lives you touch daily!

💜💜

This takes a village and I find comfort in knowing that Embracing Hope Together will always be our VILLAGE for our baby! Tiny Paws Mighty Tripp

Hi there warriors!! I wanted to drop in and ask if there is anyone that would like to share their epilepsy story with us.

I will start, my journey is in the comments.

There’s been so much new love, support, and new faces here lately and I don’t take a single one of you for granted. 💜

So from the bottom of my heart, Welcome to Embracing Hope.

If we haven’t met yet, I am
Susan Branin, the heart behind this page, and a mom whose life was forever changed by epilepsy after a seizure took the life of daughter at the young age of 21.

Embracing Hope was born from love, loss and from a deep calling to make sure no one walks this journey feeling alone.

Epilepsy is something that touches so many lives, more than most people realize. And behind every diagnosis is a story, a family, a fight and a strength that deserves to be seen and heard.

That’s why this space exists.

✨ A place to share your story
✨ A place to ask questions without fear
✨ A place to be understood, supported, and lifted up
✨ A place where your voice matters

And today, I get to share something that makes me so excited!!!!!!

Please help me welcome our newest admin to the Embracing Hope family, Kim Denney💜

She stepped into this journey through her grandson’s diagnosis, and while she may be new to the epilepsy journey, she is anything but quiet about it. She is learning, advocating, and showing up with a heart that is already making an impact.

And let me tell you, she is FIRED UP 🔥
The kind of fired up that brings change, awareness, and hope to others.

I am so incredibly honored to have her walking alongside me in this mission, not just for her grandson, but for every single person and family affected by epilepsy.

This page isn’t just mine, it is all of ours.

So if you’re here, whether you’re living with epilepsy, loving someone who is, or simply here to learn and support,

👉 I want to hear your story.
👉 I want you to feel safe sharing it.
👉 I want you to know that you are not alone here.

Welcome to Embracing Hope…
where we shine a light, together. 💜

Hello! Let me start off by introducing myself. My name is Kim, I am the grandmother of a three year old little boy who has been recently diagnosed with Generalized Epilepsy. So, new to the Purple Crew but, we wear it proudly and shout it from the rooftops! To say the least, we were in shock when this all began. However, I am so THANKFUL that Susan Linville Branin was one of the first to reach out to me and help us navigate this “new world”. So many days prior to us connecting I felt “lost” without her and her wealth of knowledge, her calmness when I am unsteady is a friendship that I will never take for granted.

The great part about all of this is she has asked me to join her in her in this community and be a resource for you as well! ~what an honor ! Though I never got to meet her sweet daughter Micayla, I will always carry a torch for her and her Fight! What a warrior! Between Micayla and my grandson ,Tripp we have lots of ambition to maybe help the next person who may need a person to be there for them just like Susan was for me and my family! This Team is Unstoppable and we are eager to help you, bring awareness or just be a person to LISTEN! The best Medicine I think, someone to LISTEN!

So, I look forward to connecting with all of you. I can’t wait to spread my love onto you and your family.

I live in the DFW area and between the distance of here and East Texas, I feel strongly that Susan and myself have you covered. Day or night!

Please feel free to reach out anytime and I will be happy to chat with you and I look forward to meeting you all in person someday soon!

✨ Embracing Hope in Honor of My Girl ✨

Today marks three years since my beautiful daughter, Micayla, was called away from her temporary home. She was only 21 when SUDEP took her last breath.

For those who don’t know, my nonprofit — Embracing Hope — was born out of her story, her strength, and her light. I created it to honor her, to support others walking through epilepsy, and to make sure no family ever feels alone in this journey.

Today, I want to share something important. Something many people have never heard. even those living with epilepsy every day:

SUDEP (Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy)

It is the leading cause of epilepsy-related deaths, yet it is rarely talked about. Too many families are left unprepared, unaware, and unsupported.

When we speak Micayla’s name, we also speak truth, truth that can help save lives.

💜 What everyone should know about SUDEP:
• It can happen to anyone with epilepsy, even those who seem “stable.”
• Nighttime seizures are one of the highest risk factors.
• Missed medications, poor sleep, and stress can increase risk.
• Safety devices, seizure-detection technology, and awareness can make a difference.

Sharing this isn’t meant to create fear.
It’s meant to create knowledge, protection and hope.

Micayla’s story doesn’t end with her passing.

Her story fuels a mission that reaches families, spreads awareness, offers support, and shines a light where silence has lived for too long.

If you know someone living with epilepsy, please share this.
Awareness truly is love in action.

And if today I’m a bit quiet, just know I’m holding my baby girl close, thanking God for her life, and pouring love into every family Embracing Hope is honored to reach.

For Micayla.
For every warrior.
For every family.
For hope. 💜✨

For more information on Embracing Hope and how you can help, please
leave a 💜 in the comments.

Embracing Hope Together Epilepsy Support and Awareness has a support group starting in February in Tyler for those with epilepsy and their caregivers. Those interested will be able to attend in person or virtually via Zoom.

If interested, you can click on this link and complete the interest form and I will keep you updated.

Epilepsy Support Group Interest Form Please click the link to complete this form.

Tyler woman looks to raise epilepsy awareness 3 years after passing of daughter Susan Branin’s daughter, Micayla, was 5 years old when she had her first seizure. After a year of doctor’s visits, it was a visit to Cook’s Children’s in Fort Worth that finally got them her diagnosis.
“There’s not enough knowledge and awareness,” said Branin.

💜 Epilepsy Series No. 6: Neurologist vs Epileptologist and Why It Matters

When it comes to managing epilepsy, understanding the difference between a neurologist and an epileptologist can make a world of difference.

🧠 A Neurologist
Treats a wide range of nervous-system conditions including migraines, Parkinson’s, MS, neuropathy, stroke, and epilepsy.

They are often the first point of care for someone who experiences seizures.

⚡ An Epileptologist
Is a neurologist who has completed additional fellowship training focused entirely on epilepsy from interpreting complex EEGs to tailoring treatment plans for different seizure types and understanding medication resistance or surgery options.

While both are vital in care, epileptologists specialize exclusively in epilepsy, which means they often provide more in-depth evaluation and management for those living with it.

It’s my personal belief that individuals with epilepsy can benefit greatly from having an epileptologist on their care team. The more specialized the care, the greater the potential for improved quality of life.

💜 Let’s keep spreading awareness and advocating for expert care because every person with epilepsy deserves hope, understanding, and the best possible support.

Epilepsy Series 5: Standing in the Light

Every person living with epilepsy carries a strength most will never understand.

It’s the kind of courage born from uncertainty, the bravery it takes to wake up each day not knowing what it might hold, yet choosing to rise anyway.

Epilepsy may change the rhythm of life, but it can never silence the light within.
You are not defined by your diagnosis. You are defined by your resilience, your faith, and your ability to keep shining even on the hardest days.

And for every warrior fighting, every caregiver holding steady, and every family loving through the unknown, please know you are never alone.

We stand with you. We see you. We believe with you.

💜 𝑻𝒐𝒈𝒆𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓, 𝒘𝒆 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝑬𝒎𝒃𝒓𝒂𝒄𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑯𝒐𝒑𝒆 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒔𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒃𝒓𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒚 𝒔𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒚 𝒔𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒆𝒅. 💜