March 26th is now officially Purple Day for epilepsy awareness

June 19, 2012 (Ottawa) – Parliament provided a positive boost to Canadians living with epilepsy when the Senate passed legislation to promote epilepsy awareness on June 19. Bill C-278, an Act respecting a day to increase public awareness about epilepsy received Royal Assent and became law on June 28th.  The bill establishes March 26th as Purple Day, a day each year when Canadians wear purple to promote a greater awareness of epilepsy and the 300,000 Canadians it affects.

The bill was sponsored by Halifax West MP Geoff Regan. He took up the cause of Cassidy Megan, the young girl in his riding who founded Epilepsy Day in 2008. He said, “Too often, people with epilepsy feel isolated and stigmatized because of a lack of understanding about their condition.”

“I want to thank Cassidy Megan, the young girl who founded Purple Day, and the Epilepsy Association of Nova Scotia for their hard work and dedication to this cause,” said Regan. “Cassidy has proven that one person can make a difference.”

“I am so grateful and happy" said Cassidy. "Parliament believed in me and Purple Day and showed me and the other Canadians living with epilepsy that they care and that we are not alone.”

CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS IN WESTERN CANADA

Please note:  This is a special call for submissions with a short turn-around date.  Submissions will be due on August 1, 2012.

SPECIAL CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS

Epilepsy Canada is pleased to announce a special competition for a one-time only grant to be awarded in support of epilepsy research in a province of Western Canada.

The grant will be valued at $100,000 CDN and will be awarded to a researcher or team of researchers at a university or teaching hospital in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta or British Columbia.

The project funded may involve activity in any field of epilepsy research, including biomedical, clinical and social science.  Projects in basic and applied science will both be considered, providing that they are designed to improve the lives of people living with epilepsy.

The granted funds may be used for operating, for salary support or for a combination of the two.  Limited equipment purchase will also be acceptable.

This is a once only award, for a granting period that will start on September 1, 2012, and for a project that can be completed within one or two years. 

A condition of this award will be the submission of brief (1 page) quarterly reports summarizing the progress of the research in language accessible to the general public.  

Application Information

Applications should include:

[1] a description of the proposed research (including Research Hypothesis, Research Goals, Back­ground, Methods, Proposed Work, Relevance to Epilepsy; 5 pages maximum, 12 pt font, Arial or Times New Roman, single spaced, 0.75 inch borders).

[2] a curriculum vitae of the principal applicant or applicants (common CV, CIHR format)

[3] a list of publications (last 5 years) by the principal applicant or applicants

The application should be submitted by email to: epilepsy@epilepsy.ca by August 1, 2012. Applicants are advised to provide email addresses so that communications can be made on a timely basis.

Results will be announced on August 15, 2012.

McIntyre Burnham,

President 

Epilepsy Canada.                             

12 YEAR OLD ACTRESS WITH EPILEPSY SUPPORTING EPILEPSY RESEARCH FUNDRAISER

Twelve year old Rylie Behr is a remarkable young actress with big dreams.   While most kids her age are looking forward to summer camp she's busy visiting major cities to promote her first full length motion picture -- I Heart Shakey. 

Rylie was diagnosed with epilepsy at the age of three.  Since that time, she has learned how to listen to her body and to accomplish her goals while managing her condition. Most importantly, with the help of a supportive family she hasn't allowed her health concerns to define her.

Rylie will be visiting Toronto on August 18th to attend a special 3D presentation of her film. She will also bring her message of courage and hope for others with epilepsy to not give up on their dreams. The special screening of I Heart Shakey is presented as a major fund raising initiative by Epilepsy Canada. The money raised will fund epilepsy research at major Canadian universities and medical institutes.

A comedy that is sure to be a hit with families, the movie will be presented in 3D at Toronto's Scotia-bank Cineplex Theatre August 18. Tickets are available through the Epilepsy Canada website at www.epilepsy.ca/shakey, or by contacting Epilepsy Canada at 877-734-0873. Tickets for the event are premium priced, but they come with a tax deductable receipt.

Katie's Run - a Fundraiser for Epilepsy Research

Katie's Run - a Fundraiser for Epilepsy Research

Saturday, July 21, 2012

Sir Sam's Ski & Bike, Haliburton Ontario

Katie's Run is a scenic 10 km run and 2.5 km family run/walk at the beautiful Sir Sam's Ski & Bike in Haliburton, Ontario. Enjoy a unique cross country run under a canopy of trees, with beautiful views from the top of the ski hill overlooking the lake. The goal of this event is to raise funds for epilepsy research, in honour of 16-year-old Katie Woudstra. Epilepsy Canada will be the recipient of all funds raised.

To read Katie’s story, in her own words, visit Katie's website. Like Katie, we are encouraging Canadians to tell their story and break the silence about epilepsy.