Racing Uphill

Confronting a Life with Epilepsy

Stacia Kalinoski

$34.99

Paperback

Forthcoming
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English

University of Minnesota Press
08 October 2025

Biography: science, technology & engineering; Disability: social aspects; Neurology & clinical neurophysiology

The candid, inspiring story of a woman's experience with a chronic, unpredictable neurological condition

When twenty-nine-year-old reporter Stacia Kalinoski regained consciousness on a couch at the TV station where she worked, she assumed that she'd had another seizure. But the electrical storm that had just torn through her brain was more destructive than she could have imagined, and the broadcast journalism career she loved swiftly came to an end. Forced to confront the reality of her medical condition, Kalinoski made the risky decision to undergo brain surgery, targeting the epilepsy that was ravaging her life.

In Racing Uphill, Kalinoski describes the seizures that occurred while she was running, which led to her pursuit of an uncertain cure. Rallying the grit she developed as an athlete and engaging the research and reporting skills she acquired as a journalist, she gives us a rare inside look at the ways epilepsy can change a life. Moving beyond her own personal experience, Kalinoski interviews prominent epileptologists to understand how seizures can spread, steal memories, and create strange behaviors and mood disorders. She seamlessly joins what she learned from her research with her own story, offering valuable insight into the experience of grappling with a relentless neurological disease.

The vivid auras that preceded seizures and the damage that followed; the toll of her epilepsy on her family and loved ones; the extraordinary determination her reckoning required-these are all part of Kalinoski's story of adversity, denial, acceptance, and resilience. In sharing the remarkable opportunity that epilepsy presented for her courage and growth, Stacia Kalinoski speaks to anyone facing an uphill battle and offers inspiration for taking control of one's own health.

By: Stacia Kalinoski
Imprint: University of Minnesota Press
Country of Publication: United States [Currently unable to ship to USA: see Shipping Info]
Dimensions: Height: 210mm, Width: 140mm, Spine: 11mm
Weight: 284g
ISBN: 9781517917463
ISBN 10: 1517917468
Pages: 232
Publication Date: 08 October 2025
Audience: General/trade , ELT Advanced
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Forthcoming

Stacia Kalinoski is an Emmy Awardwinning TV news journalist whose documentary Brainstorm premiered on Twin Cities PBS and was nominated for a regional Emmy Award. Before a seizure ended her broadcast journalism career, she reported for television stations in Nebraska, Oregon, and Michigan. She now shares her story as a motivational speaker.

Reviews for Racing Uphill: Confronting a Life with Epilepsy

""Stacia Kalinoski has been an inspiration in my life and my son’s life, giving hope to those with epilepsy through her resolve and willingness to stand up for herself and others with seizure disorders. Her memoir further highlights her amazing fighting spirit. Within these pages, she offers encouragement to millions of Americans who are struggling-emphasizing that they, too, can overcome."" - Wayne Drash, Emmy Award–winning journalist and author ""Stacia Kalinoski’s courage in sharing her personal journey with epilepsy is truly inspiring. Epilepsy is one of the most common neurological disorders, yet as a society, we still have much to learn about understanding and supporting those who live with it. Through her powerful storytelling, Kalinoski not only raises vital public awareness but also offers hope and encouragement to others navigating life with seizures."" - Jenna Carter, executive director, Epilepsy Foundation of Minnesota ""I respect Stacia Kalinoski so much for what she has done for epilepsy. She continues to work hard and help people."" - Jerry Kill, Jerry Kill, Division I football coach