About Me

Hi There!

I'm Alexis Minnaar, I work as an English and Geography tutor at DawnCroft Education. At the age of nine months, I was diagnosed with temporal lobe epilepsy. Followed by a confirmation diagnosis of the Tuberous Sclerosis Complex, at the age of two. Thus my journey, as well as my parent's journey began. I am the eldest out of three children. With two younger brothers; Jordan (two years younger) and Ezra (nine years younger) both in perfect health.

Ever since I can remember, my parents have always been incredibly informative with regards to my condition. Neither my brothers nor I, have been left in the dark with regards to my disorder. A strong belief dwells within our house, that not knowing leads to fear and even rebellion. Consequently age appropriate explanations have always been given to us, along with our family, and friends as we grew up. By the age of seventeen, I began to do my own research. As time passed, I found that hope and courage grew along with the knowledge I gained. 

Unfortunately a cruel realization occurred to me as I searched; firstly it is easy for people to see and dwell on the negative experiences that we go through. It is in our nature to take the easy way out; blaming other people, running away, or even feeling sorry for ourselves. However this leads to a very lonely and difficult journey. 

My husband once said; "Sit down and think of all the things you have accomplished in your life, even if they are small." Think of it this way; you are sitting in a house cluttered to the ceiling. You begin to clean it, and after ten years the house is still a mess. Look at what you have accomplished. You can see the floor, your cloths are in the cupboard, and you can use the bathroom. We cannot allow our hindrances to stop us from seeing a future.      

Secondly, there are no awareness or support groups to confide in, in South Africa. News such as this is disheartening. It is always pleasant to confide in someone, whether it is your parents, your doctor, or your husband. 

Therefore I wish to share my story of hope with you. In the hopes that you would find the strength to share yours too. Creating awareness, as well as finding support within each-others experiences. By reflecting on our experiences we thus realize how much we truly have accomplished throughout our journeys. Living with Tuberous Sclerosis Complex, may seem daunting, maybe even impossible. But it doesn't have to be... There is never a dull moment, when you have hope and courage to guide you.