You Are Not Alone helps girl with seizure disorder

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Originally published by the Comox Valley Record, March 26, 2025

Raynee Novak – Comox Valley Record

Chanel Martin is busy learning the ropes of her daughter’s battle with seizures while keeping her life in order.

Carrera Wiesselmann started having seizures when she was just two. She was taken to specialists and put on seven different medications but still suffering from seizures.

“She was still having seizures, we couldn’t figure out why. That’s when we started going to BC Children’s Hospital and they were able to test her there,” said Martin.

It was during that stay at BC Children’s Hospital that Carrera underwent a week-long electroencephalography (EEG) to find the underlying cause of her seizures. Doctors discovered that she had a tumour on her left frontal lobe.

“It’s a slow growing grade level one,” Martin explains of the tumour.

She underwent surgery to remove the tumour but only 90 per cent could be removed as it was attached to her speech memory. Carrera continues to live with 10 per cent of the tumour and regularly goes to have MRI’s completed to check on the tumour.

Not only does YANA help Martin out with getting Carrera to her often last minute appointments at BC Children’s Hospital, they have helped find her coverage through other funding for Carrera’s very expensive medications.

“One is about $200 a month and the other is $400 every two months. [YANA] helped me figure out funding for her medication.”

“It has been a super relief in knowing that YANA is there to help me because I’m still navigating myself throughout this and worried about all of this stuff. I couldn’t afford to go over to Vancouver and miss work. They have just been so wonderful and I can reach out to them anytime. About anything,” shared Martin of her experience with YANA.

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The Valley Vonka – a major fundraiser for YANA, is ongoing in the Comox Valley. Businesses throughout the community are selling chocolate bars (by donation) with the chance to find one of five Golden Tickets inside the bar. A Golden Ticket qualifies the redeemer to one of five grand prizes, values anywhere from $780 to $1,000.

Chocolate bars are available at: