Tamara Simeunovic has seated herself in a comfortable living room somewhere in the UK. She is displaying the very first copy of her book The Epileptic Warrior Princess: Life With Epilepsy, which has just been printed. The thin book, part pure evidence, part practical handbook, is almost ready to do something that very few novels for chronic patients have accomplished: make the invisible, suffering, and beautiful to see.
Epilepsy is a neurological disease characterized by the occurrence of multiple seizures, and it impacts millions of people globally. However, the public comprehension of the disease is mostly limited to its most sensational side: the fits, lack of response, and abrupt falling. For some, the experienced truth includes so much more: adverse effects of drugs, stigma, loneliness, and continuous guessing of what may cause the next seizure. The book of Simeunovic is among a limited number of autobiographies that present these facts with courage and honesty.
Simeunovic’s writing is the product of a lifelong relationship with epilepsy. She has been suffering from epilepsy since the age of two, not only feeling the physical effects of convulsions, but also the mental and social burdens attached to it. The Epileptic Warrior Princess sketches this path thoroughly, starting with the volatile nature of the drug-resistant tonic-clonic seizures and the unbearably wearing task of informing employers, family, and even the medical community about the real nature of epilepsy.
Author’s voice is crisp, and she is very much down to earth. It’s so reader-friendly that one would hardly think it came from a medical researcher. There’s even a trace of light humor sometimes. Along the way, the readers learn about different kinds of seizures, the difficulties of managing seizures, and why epilepsy is often called an “invisible disability” – a condition that others can’t see but that has a great impact on the whole life.
This mixture of memoir and practical manual is intentional. Simeunovic’s intention is not just to share her journey, but to equip others with the right words and tools to navigate theirs. Her penmanship indicates a growing tendency in the chronic disease community to switch the storytelling from afflicted in silence to empowered living.
This is a Book That You Can Read like a Dialogue
Readers who are already acquainted with the literature around chronic illness, whether it is from the field of cancer memoirs or reports on autoimmune conditions, will have the same rhythm to feel: negotiations with doctors, trial and error with treatment, the minefields of social life that require one to explain and be judged. What makes Simeunovic’s voice unique is the unyielding attitude to despair.
Simeunovic shares her experiences with bullying, discrimination in workplaces that consider epilepsy as a liability, and the burden of being misunderstood. Nevertheless, she proposes ways of managing stress, minimizing seizure triggers, and fighting for one’s rights in medical appointments and bureaucracy. This two-pronged approach, brutally honest narration interlaced with practical advice – makes The Epileptic Warrior Princess not just a memoir but a powerful resource: for people suffering from epilepsy, their caregivers and families, and for anyone wanting to understand a condition that is too often heard of but rarely comprehended.
Chess: More than a Co-author
Simeunovic extends authorship to Chess, her loyal dog who alerts her of an upcoming seizure — a reminder that oftentimes support systems are unconventional yet very significant. Through Chess, she describes how friendship, whether it is with a human or an animal, becomes part of the survival kit for people suffering from chronic neurological disorders.
One time, she acknowledges Chess not only for his trained alerts but also for the emotional support he gives her on hard days. This is a very powerful illustration of the book’s main argument: controlling epilepsy is not only about medical solutions but also about emotional resilience.
A Digital Voice in the Age of Technology
Simeunovic’s story is not restricted to the printed format alone. She takes part in her journey through Instagram and Threads – platforms where epilepsy warriors from all over the world already congregate, share, and support one another. These social media spots have now become vital for coming together as a community, decreasing one’s feeling of being isolated, and increasing people’s understanding of such conditions as epilepsy. They will not give you medical advice but rather place you in a network with others who have the same concerns, thus providing support and validation for those who might think they are alone.
The themes in her writing are further echoed in her social media presence: being vulnerable doesn’t mean being weak, and being visible can bring about change.
Bringing the Hidden Into the Light
Simeunovic’s writing, situated in a prior context of changing attitudes and increased support, has evolved from an almost complete silence on the part of the patients to a position where their opinions are heard and regarded as valid ways of talking about the condition.
The sharing of personal stories facilitated by the Epilepsy Foundation and social media has been recognized as one of the most effective means for breaking barriers and changing public perception of seizures and brain diseases. There is research evidence supporting these claims that state that through all the postings on social media, blogging, and writing of memoirs, and even if the quality and accuracy of the content vary, the public is still informed about the existence of epilepsy to some extent.
Simeunovic’s role, in the context of the above, is both personal and socially engaging. By giving her experiences different names: the victories, the losses, the details of everyday life: she is a player in the larger liberation of epilepsy from the shackles of being a condition to being a human experience.
Why Her Story Matters
The Epileptic Warrior Princess is not only about the bravery that pervades the text, but also about insisting on the complexity of the issue that characterizes the book. The author does not present epilepsy as a single enemy which can be defeated but rather as a complicated and permanent war – one which has to be fought with the help not only of medical knowledge but also of emotional intelligence, community support, and self-advocacy.
What Simeunovic adds, in this revised perspective, is how much hope can inspire changes to the stigma and improve lives not only for people with epilepsy and those caring for them, but also raise awareness and understanding for doctors, government ministers, schools, theatres, cinemas, and employers.
She encourages social and practical measures such as:
- Listing on theatre booking forms which musicals have flashing lights so safe and informed decisions can be made.
- Pubs and venues providing notices when gigs feature flashy lights, so epileptics can make informed choices.
- Fighting for fair tribunals and Personal Independence Payments (PIP) against DWP cruelty.
- Advocating against policies that force disabled people into poverty.
This approach extends her work beyond memoir into activism, ensuring that the message of awareness, preparation, and inclusion reaches the institutions that shape social and professional life.
Readers, critics, and the epilepsy community have all acknowledged this transparency with thanksgiving. Probably, for the majority, identifying a plot that reflects their own lives is tantamount to finding a long-lost mirror image of themselves. Simeunovic’s work, in a society that usually either oversimplifies or conceals the issue of chronic illness, still retains its power as a source of genuineness — and, most importantly, as a reminder that every single person with epilepsy has a tale to tell.
Book Availability & Reader Invitation
The Epileptic Warrior Princess: Life With Epilepsy by Tamara Simeunovic is available now via multiple platforms:
- Amazon (UK):
https://amazon.co.uk/Epileptic-Warrior-Princess-Life-Epilepsy/dp/1918096198 - Author’s Website:
https://www.epilepticwarriortales.com - Apple Books:
https://books.apple.com/us/book/the-epileptic-warrior-princess/id6751924581 - Also available via: IngramSpark and Barnes & Noble
Readers are warmly encouraged to leave reviews on Amazon and on the author’s website, as reviews help increase visibility, recognition, and awareness – supporting the book’s mission to build resilience, strength, understanding, and hope within and beyond the epilepsy community.
