Epilepsy Canada Funds $134,000 Towards Research in 2011

For Immediate Release

Epilepsy is neurological disorder that affects one in every hundred Canadians. While great strides have been made in Epilepsy research, more needs to be done. Epilepsy Canada’s research grants competition hopes to encourage this important work. After a thorough review of numerous applications, Epilepsy Canada is proud to announce the winners of this year’s postdoctoral research awards and summer studentships, which are worth a total of $134,000. Epilepsy Canada would like to thank the donors whose generous support made this program possible.

Award Winners

There were many impressive applications and Epilepsy Canada commends all who applied. The winners were chosen because their research will most benefit those afflicted with epilepsy. The postdoctoral award will give three people the opportunity to pursue one year of research and training in the area of epilepsy. The summer studentships will give four promising students the chance to train in a lab and research over the summer period.

Postdoctoral Award

• Dr. Sebastien Desgent of Montreal, QC - $38,000
• Dr. Ali R. Khan of Surrey, BC - $38,000
• Dr. Lois Miraucourt of Montreal, QC - $38,000

Summer Studentship Award

• Danielle Weber-Adrian of Richmond Hill, ON - $5,000
• Youssef Soliman of Mississauga, ON - $5,000
• Josiane Mapplebeck of Montreal, QC - $5,000
• Yayi Huang of Toronto, ON - $5,000

The Goal

The goal of Epilepsy Canada’s research grants competition is to invest in the next generation of experts who may one day leave a milestone in epilepsy treatment. Epilepsy Canada’s mission is to enhance the quality of life for persons affected by epilepsy through promotion of research, education, and awareness initiatives that build understanding and acceptance of epilepsy. Epilepsy Canada relies entirely on private and corporate donations to achieve these goals.

Researcher supported by Epilepsy Canada makes important discovery

Dr. Miles Thompson, a post-doctoral fellow at the University of Toronto, and funded by Epilepsy Canada, is part of a team of researchers who discovered the gene linked to childhood epilepsy known as Mabry Syndrome.

Read more about the discovery at The Bulletin here, the University of Toronto's faculty news source.

Elementary school raises over $1000 for Epilepsy Canada

Class 8-4 of Hodgson Senior Public School presented Epilepsy Canada with $1,276.72 on June 8. Danielle Kerr, a grade 8 student, who had surgery in February, 2010 and is now ‘seizure-free’, raised the money with her classmates by organizing a school fundraiser called The Purple Palooza. Kerr was recently featured in Epilepsy Canada’s spring direct mail campaign.

Students were encouraged to wear purple, took part in a Lip Sync competition, made popcorn, sold tickets for a chance to throw pies in the face of teachers, and held numerous raffles. Donations reps also collected money daily from the student body.

The Purple Palooza event was organized as part of the school’s Entrepreneurial Adventure Program, which brings volunteers to Canadian schools to work with students on business projects.

Kerr convinced her classmates to devote their business project to raising money for epilepsy research. Kerr’s personal experience with epilepsy motivated her to help make a difference in the lives of epileptics across Canada.

Epilepsy Canada board member Gary Collins and administrative officer Chow Dindayal accepted the cheque. CTV’s Bill Hutchison, Honorary Spokesperson for Epilepsy Canada, attended and reported on the event a for his daily news program on the 11:30pm CTV Toronto newscast.

New Approaches to Intractable Epilepsy’ Workshop – Integrated Discovery System

Ontario Brian Institute (OBI) is holding an Epilepsy workshop in London, Ontario on June 24-26, 2011.

Launched in November 2010, the Ontario Brain Institute has been established to become an internationally recognized centre of excellence in brain research, translation and innovation. It will achieve its vision by initiating, funding, promoting and stimulating brain research, education and training.

As part of its inaugural phase, the OBI is sponsoring a series of workshops centered around the major CNS disorders. This letter is to invite you to participate in an “in depth” Workshop entitled “New Approaches to Intractable Epilepsy”, which will be held in London, Ontario on June 24-26, 2011.

The workshop will consist of researchers, clinicians, non-profit groups and representatives from industry. It is intended to result in the development of a collaborative grant application for an Integrated Discovery System, to be submitted to the OBI by August 5, 2011.

The workshop will be held at the Ivey Spencer Leadership Center (551 Windermere Rd, London, ON, N5X2T1). The sessions will commence on June 25, 2011 at 9 am, and wrap up on June 26, 2011 at 1pm. In the coming days, we will be sending you a more detailed agenda.

A welcome reception will also be hosted by Dr. Donald Stuss, President of the OBI, on June 24 at 7pm.

Topics for the Workshop will include drug and diet therapies for epilepsy, seizure surgery, clinical electrophysiology, brain stimulation for epilepsy, epileptic co-morbidities, epidemiology, pediatric issues and genetics. Breakout groups will attempt to identify research needs in each area, to evolve basic research protocols for use in the application, and to identify promising areas for collaborative research.

Investing in Research

Epilepsy Canada channels your support towards research into medication, treatments, procedures and surgeries and specific research in dozens of important projects like these, annually:

Lois Miraucourt, Post doctoral fellowship, Ruthazer Laboratory, Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University began research in 2010 that “should provide critical new insights about seizure generation that will allow us to more accurately understand the actions of antiepileptic drugs, and to ultimately design better therapeutic strategies.”

Andrew Moeller from Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, concluded in a 2010 study funded by Epilepsy Canada, “TV medical dramas inaccurately depict seizure first aid management and may contribute to misinformation to the general public.”

Alexander Dolan, working under a summer studentship grant at Sick Kids at University of Toronto, studied “how uncontrolled epilepsy could be brought under control. Possibilities included: better application of seizure surgery, better use of anticonvulsant medications, and better use of dietary therapies.”

Through perseverance and determination one mother of a five year-old girl discovered a natural analogue treatment for her daughter because no drug was available in North America to help manage her seizures. Could Epilepsy Canada research into this discovery unlock a new path to success?

Spotlight on the Need for More Research

Ann Marie Gillie, a 43 year-old mother of 3 boys, is a published author and had lived with epilepsy for half of her life. A second opinion by a neurosurgeon changed her life. In December 2002, she underwent Left Selective Amygdalohippocampectomy surgery at the University of Alberta Hospital. Ann has been 100% seizure-free since. She travels to the U.S. and across Canada to speak about her experiences and motivates others to stay positive.

If you would like to engage with Ann, you can visit her website at http://www.anngillieepilepsyspeaker.com/ . Learn more about her experiences in her book called ‘If Walls Could Talk – Don’t Let Epilepsy Control You’.

Brett Newman, 25 years old, from Campobello Island, New Brunswick started a walkathon to raise awareness for epilepsy research. In 2002 he lost his cousin Michael to an epileptic seizure, and suffered more tragedy last year when his brother was paralyzed from the waist down in an auto accident. A few months later he met Chanse Anderson, an epileptic from St. Stephen, whose spirit was so positive it inspired Brett to begin his trek.