A TV news reporter must confront her epilepsy after being fired over a seizure. Stacia Kalinoski pursues brain surgery, and documents her journey as a way to raise awareness about the brain disorder that affects 1 in 26 people. The "Grand mal" (tonic clonic) is the image most commonly associated with seizures, but the true face of epilepsy is extremely complex because there are so many types. The misunderstanding surrounding this mysterious brain disorder has arguably led to the strong stigma. Brainstorm aims to reduce the stigma by showing how three people with very different epilepsy types battle seizures to live their lives to the fullest. They include former Minnesota Gophers football coach Jerry Kill, and a young boy named Billy. Brainstorm explores the devastating effects seizures have on memory, why some with epilepsy deny their condition, and treatment options like surgery. The film shows a wide range of seizures, including Stacia's, and leading epileptologists explain how a normal functioning brain can suddenly flip and produce strange behaviors that someone has no control over.
