Nikki’s Story – Epilepsy

By uclahealth • July 28, 2016

Epilepsy Treatment: Brain Surgery

Project Epilepsy

Four-year-old Nikki lives in Perth, Australia. She was born healthy, but two years ago, she began suffering seizures and was diagnosed with epilepsy. Despite medications, Nikki was still suffering up to 200 seizures every single day. Brain scans showed nothing and Nikki's parents were at their wits' end. The family went online and found UCLA's Dr. Gary Mathern, who specializes in surgery for pediatric epilepsy that cannot be controlled medications. He sympathized with the family and agreed to consult with Nikki to see what he could do. The family flew half way around the world to meet with Dr. Mathern and the UCLA team in hopes that they could find a way to stop Nikki's seizures. Australia's "The Project" television news program followed the family's journey. Watch here to find out if neurosurgery cured Nikki's seizures. (Courtesy of The Project/Network Ten in Australia)
Learn more about the UCLA Pediatric Epilepsy Program >