Epilepsy Foundation Rolls Out #RemoveTheFilter Social Media Campaign for National Epilepsy Awareness Month

Campaign Highlights Challenges & Drives Everyone to Get Seizure First Aid Ready

Bowie, Md., November 1, 2021 — Today marks the start of National Epilepsy Awareness Month (NEAM) and the Epilepsy Foundation is leveraging its community's strength to reduce the fear surrounding epilepsy and bring hope to those facing challenges. Through a social media campaign called #RemoveTheFilter, the Epilepsy Foundation is asking everyone to “remove the filter” by empowering them to take action and make a difference for those affected by epilepsy.

“For many, epilepsy and seizures are not something that is openly discussed because they fear discrimination, bullying or simply because they don’t know how to explain it to others,” said Laura Thrall, president and CEO, Epilepsy Foundation. “The focus of this campaign is to break the silence surrounding epilepsy and bring awareness so that people with epilepsy feel safer in their communities.”

One in 10 people will have a seizure and 1 in 26 will develop epilepsy during their lifetime. Through a series of stories, #RemoveTheFilter encourages people affected by epilepsy to leverage the power of their eJourney to decrease fear, encourage conversations and inspire action. Those featured in the stories highlight the challenges of epilepsy, how they overcame barriers, and why they removed the filter.

As part of the campaign, the Epilepsy Foundation is encouraging everyone to get Seizure First Aid Ready to save a life. The Foundation, in partnership with SK Life Science Inc, recently introduced a 30-minute on-demand course for people to learn the basics of seizure first aid. The course is available online free of charge on the Foundation’s Epilepsy Learning Portal.

Other ways people can #RemoveTheFilter during November:

• Share their epilepsy journey
• Become an Epilepsy Awareness Ambassador
• Participate in the Walk to END EPILEPSY®
• Join others in Fundraise Your Way

For more NEAM 2021 activities, please visit epilepsy.com/NEAM.

About Epilepsy

According to the World Health Organization, epilepsy is the most common serious brain disorder worldwide with no age, racial, social class, national or geographic boundaries. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) estimates that 3.4 million people in the United States are affected by epilepsy. It is the underlying tendency of the brain to produce seizures which are sudden abnormal bursts of electrical energy that disrupt brain functions.

About the Epilepsy Foundation

With a network of partners throughout the United States, the Epilepsy Foundation is leading the fight to overcome the challenges of living with epilepsy. The Foundation connects people to treatment, support and resources; leads advocacy efforts; funds innovative research and the training of specialists; and educates the public about epilepsy and seizure first aid. For more than five decades, the Epilepsy Foundation has shone a light on epilepsy to promote awareness and understanding, and to advocate for laws that matter to people with epilepsy, while also funding epilepsy research and supporting epilepsy investigators and specialists in their early careers. In partnership with the CDC, the Epilepsy Foundation has helped to improve access to care for people with epilepsy, expanded its digital reach and online resources in homes across the country, and trained more than 600,000 people in seizure recognition and first aid. The Epilepsy Foundation continues to focus on serving the epilepsy community through advocacy, education, direct services and research for new therapies. To learn more visit epilepsy.com or call 1.800.332.1000. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

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