US Mom Gets PhD To Develop Cure For Her Daughter’s Epilepsy

What would a mother do if her child suddenly developed an inexplicable medical condition? For Tracy Dixon-Salazar, the absence of adequate medical insight into her daughter's mysterious ailment meant that pursuing a medical Ph.D. was the only recourse.

When Tracy Dixon-Salazar's daughter, Savannah, began having seizures at just two years old, she and her husband were thrown into a world of confusion and fear. Rushing to call paramedics during the first episode in 1995 was just the beginning of their journey into the unknown. Despite the initial relief of containing the situation, the seizures persisted, leaving Savannah in a constant state of distress. The family went down a rabbit hole of blood tests and doctor's visits, desperately trying to find what was wrong with their daughter.

 As Savannah's condition worsened, the doctors were clueless. Tracy discovered that her daughter had epilepsy by examining her medical records, but the doctors were unwilling to classify Savannah as epileptic, fearing her social ostracization. By the time she was five, Savannah's growth had been so damaged by her constant seizures that she developed a condition known as Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome (LGS). As a result, Savannah mentally remained a toddler, never learning to read or write. 

Tracy began taking English classes to comprehend medical records that could aid Savannah, and in the process, she stumbled upon an untapped passion for science. During an interview, she explained, "I was trying to understand how this kid could go from being totally normal to having seizures and her life derailed." 

She returned to college with the goal of learning more and helping her daughter and people who are struggling like her. Balancing her studies with caring for Savannah posed challenges for Tracy. Prior to this, she had been a stay-at-home mom and never excelled academically. Through grit and determination, she finally got her degree in physiology and neuroscience from the University of San Diego. 

How One Woman's Journey Changed Her Daughter's Epilepsy Treatment Forever

By the time she started her journey to a PhD, she was determined to wage a war against epilepsy. For her, this battle was deeply personal. She worked with Joseph Gleeson, a neuroscientist, to understand childhood genetic causes of childhood brain diseases. Tracy discovered that Savannah's condition wasn't genetic, and through her research, she pinpointed calcium channel mutations as the trigger for her seizures.

She had already observed that calcium worsened Savannah's episodes, but it was a breakthrough moment when her research confirmed this. She would soon identify a drug, verapamil, that acted as a calcium blocker for Savannah. Tracy then identified a medication, verapamil, which blocked calcium, and when Savannah started taking it, the change was remarkable. Previously enduring continuous seizures, Savannah's episodes were reduced by a staggering 95%. From days of continuous seizures to just a few per month, Savannah's quality of life improved dramatically. Now nearing twenty, Savannah is more communicative and energetic than ever. Tracy joyfully notes, "She just exploded in her personality, and she is just so sassy." 

The brain damage caused by the constant episodes may have left irreversible damage to Savannah's brain, but Tracy is grateful that her daughter is not in a constant state of danger. 

Today, Tracy has redirected her attention away from lab work towards collaborating with Citizen's United for Research in Epilepsy. Here, she joins forces with a team of scientists dedicated to uncovering cures for the disease that nearly took her daughter away. With almost three million Americans affected by epilepsy, and a third of them enduring frequent episodes that disrupt their lives, Tracy is determined in her mission to prevent others from experiencing what Savannah endured.