Chelsy grew up in Covington, the youngest of three daughters. She attended Newton County schools and Georgia Perimeter in Covington. She also worked for the local Zaxby’s until she left to attend the University of Georgia in Athens, where she graduated with a degree in Early Childhood Education Cum Laude. She loved Athens and settled there, working for the Terrapin Beer Company and then later, Quality Deer Management Association (QDMA), now called National Deer Association.
Chelsy had her first seizure at 18 months old. Her seizure was diagnosed as a febrile seizure, which can affect young children and is triggered by a fever. Most young children outgrow this type of seizure, as did Chelsy. It wasn’t until later in elementary school that she had her first grand mal seizure, which is the type of seizure that causes a loss of consciousness and violent muscle contractions. It was at that point that the Egleston Children’s Hospital doctors diagnosed her with epilepsy, introducing her to the world of neurology: EEG tests, sleep deprivation and strobe light testing, constant monitoring, medication changes, and always the reminder, “Did you take your pills?” Chelsy took a lot of pills. Some worked. Some didn’t. Whenever she had a seizure, and she had many, the amount and types of medication she had to take twice a day increased. Chelsy had not only grand mal seizures but also petit mal or absence seizures, which are brief, sudden lapses of consciousness and will cause a person to stare blankly into space. Chelsy’s seizures sometimes landed her in the emergency room when a fall during a seizure caused her to require stitches.
Having epilepsy is hard, but Chelsy refused to let it become a focus of her life. She kept her seizures hidden from most; she didn’t share that she had the disease unless she had to. Epilepsy is so misunderstood by so many people. To witness someone having a gran-mal seizure can be terrifying if you are not familiar with them. Chelsy never wanted people (even her own family) to worry or to be scared around her. She preferred to keep it on a need-to-know basis. This is so unfortunate, and apparently the way many who suffer with epilepsy feel. They don't want to be associated with the stigma. This isolates them, leaving them to sort through their emotions about it on their own. Chelsy really never had someone to talk to about it, someone who truly understood what she was going through. As much as we tried to be there and talk about it, she knew that we could never truly understand what is was like to be someone who had epilepsy. But Chelsy never let her seizures get her down for long. Her motto was Be Fierce. And that, she was!
She later developed thyroid cancer, requiring two surgeries and even more daily medication. But her fierceness prevailed. She beat it. As her sister, Lorien Moran described in her eulogy, “Chelsy did not have everything easy peasy. There were many ups and downs. Throughout her whole life, she's had things that tried to knock her down; BIG detours in her road. But Chelsy always handled them with grace. She didn’t like the detours, but she would just take a little time, regroup and go on skipping down a new path. She would handle it... just like the fierce Chelsy that she is.”
She was creative, funny, intelligent, loving, kind and courageous, and most of all fierce. This is where the tagline of Chelsyfest “BE FIERCE. FIGHT EPILEPSY.” originated.
A friend of hers described her in this way: “Chelsy Marise Giles was a force to be reckoned with, and with her fierce, playful spirit and infectious laugh, she was an instant delight to anyone she met. Despite being born with epilepsy and regularly enduring grand-mal seizures, suffering was not in Chelsy’s vocabulary, and she lived her life as if every cloud would soon give way to the sun. Across her nearly 35 years on this planet, Chelsy touched countless lives in Athens (and beyond) with her undiscriminating compassion and expansive heart.”
That’s just the way Chelsy was. Her big smile and caring spirit are what most people lucky enough to have known her, remember.
ChelsyFest is a compilation of “all things Chelsy” – food, beer, music, and fun activities!
The proceeds help change lives by giving people living with epilepsy fun opportunities and a chance to attend summer camp supported by the Epilepsy Foundation of Georgia. At Chelsyfest, we believe that no one should have to be afraid of sharing something that is such an important part of their life. We want to end the feelings of isolation that come with epilepsy, especially in children and adolescents. What better way to do this than by raising public awareness through community engagement and education, and by showing people with epilepsy that they are not alone. Camp Carpe Diem allows them to have a week of fun and activities, without having to be “the one that has seizures.” Epilepsy is one of the most common neurologic disorders. We want them to know that they are not alone.
This year the Chelsy Marise Giles Foundation was formed to go even further to “Be Fierce. Fight epilepsy.” We have added several new board members who are all passionate about finding a cure and raising public awareness about epilepsy. We even have a neurologist who specializes in the disorder and hopes to spearhead the foundation with community education and by leading support groups for those who are currently suffering with the disease. We want the world to know The Chelsy Marise Giles Foundation and Chelsyfest. We want the world to know how common epilepsy is and that, with education and funding, a cure is possible.
