Epilepsy Foundation Joins in Recognizing International Epilepsy Day

Epilepsy News From: Monday, February 09, 2015

The Epilepsy Foundation is proud to join the epilepsy community in recognizing Monday, February 9, 2015, as International Epilepsy Day. Organized by the International Bureau for Epilepsy (IBE) and the International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE), the day provides a platform for people with epilepsy to share their experiences and stories with a global audience. The day also calls for all people to advocate for appropriate legislation that will guarantee human rights of people with epilepsy and encourages people with epilepsy to live to their fullest potential. The Epilepsy Foundation is a full member of IBE.

International Epilepsy Day

International Epilepsy Day aims to highlight that:

  • Epilepsy still remains a hidden disease due to the fear and misunderstanding that still surround this common condition.
  • It is treatable; yet 40% of people living with epilepsy in wealthier countries do not receive appropriate treatment. More than 70% of those living in low income countries cannot even access epilepsy medication regularly.
  • Lack of treatment imposes a huge financial burden on national health systems.
  • Research and legislation remain key issues in improving the quality of life of persons with epilepsy.
International Epilepsy Day

“International Epilepsy Day is a time to recognize the daily challenges faced by people with seizures around the world and the expansive opportunities for improvement in care, especially in underserved countries,” said Dr. Nathan Fountain, chair of the Epilepsy Foundation’s Professional Advisory Board and professor of neurology at the University of Virginia School of Medicine. “It is also a time to remember the tremendous contributions to art, science, business, government, and sports made by people with epilepsy. And it is an opportunity to emphasize that proper treatment can control seizures for many or even most people with epilepsy and can reduce the burden of epilepsy for those with persistent seizures.”

He added, “Physicians and healthcare providers must never give up on trying to control seizures, reduce side effects, and improve the lives of each individual with epilepsy, as well never give up on developing new, more effective treatments for everyone. I challenge my colleagues who treat epilepsy across the globe to #DareTo Never Give Up!”

How to Get Involved

International Epilepsy Day

A key component of International Epilepsy Day is a social media campaign that invites the epilepsy community to post a personal awareness message using the hashtag #epilepsyday, along with a photo of themselves holding a message card, on their Facebook, Twitter or Instagram account. (Find a sample message card below.)

“Like” the Epilepsy Foundation on Facebook at facebook.com/epilepsyfoundationofamerica, follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/epilepsyfdn and follow us on Instagram at instagram.com/epilepsyfdn to view and share the Foundation’s #epilepsyday messages.

WHO Joins Call for Epilepsy Action

In related news, the World Health Organization Executive Board approved its first resolution on epilepsy at its February 2, 2015, meeting in Geneva, Switzerland. The resolution calls for a coordinated action to improve epilepsy care, protect the civil rights of people with epilepsy, and increase investment into epilepsy research.

Facts about Epilepsy

  • Epilepsy is a collective term for a large group of diseases of the brain that are characterized by seizures.
  • A seizure is like an internal electrical storm in the brain. It is the consequence of abnormal, excessive discharges of nerve cells.
  • Seizures are symptoms of the disease; they are not the disease itself. Yet it is the seizures and associated fear and misunderstanding, rather than the condition itself, which ruin the lives of people with epilepsy.
  • Epilepsy is the most common serious brain disease and a global problem that recognizes no class distinction or global boundary, affecting all ages, races, social classes, and countries.
  • It is estimated that 65 million people have epilepsy worldwide.
  • 2.5 million new cases are diagnosed annually worldwide.
  • In the developed world, 40% of people with epilepsy do not receive appropriate treatment. This figure rises to more than 70% in developing nations.
  • Epilepsy can kill. Each year, more than 1 out of 1,000 people with epilepsy die from SUDEP (sudden unexpected death in epilepsy). If seizures are uncontrolled the risk of SUDEP increases to more than 1 out of 150.
  • With appropriate treatment, up to 70% of people with epilepsy become seizure-free.
  • 30% of people with epilepsy will be drug resistant.

Learn more about epilepsy and seizures.

Reviewed Date

Monday, February 09, 2015

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