Friday 8 March 2013
Wednesday 6 March 2013
Epilepsy Canada Turns To Social Media to Drive Fundraising Effort during National Awareness Month
Epilepsy Canada has recruited Pickles, Love Blaster and a growing number of social media supporters to help meet its fundraising goals. March is Epilepsy Awareness month and the agency is asking supporters across the country to create local fundraising events using its secure, web-based fundraising program.
Pickles and Love Blaster are among the first teams to register to raise funds at the charity’s
Quiet No More website.Team Pickles -- named in honour of 20-month old Nicholas Webster of Ottawa who was diagnosed with epilepsy last year-- has set a team goal of $10,000. His mother Wendy told us, “Without medication Nicholas has up to 17-20 seizures a day.” Though appreciative of the relief that drug therapy provides her son, Ms. Webster is concerned about the long-term effect the medication may have on her child’s future. Research, she believes is the only way to find an alternative to drugs.
Over 300,000 Canadians currently battle the neurological disorder that results in seizures. Another 15,000 are expected to be diagnosed with the condition this year.
Gary Collins, Executive Director of Epilepsy Canada says, “This campaign is our latest effort to bring attention to the need for research funding for epilepsy.” He says patients who receive an epilepsy diagnosis have their lives turned upside down. To manage their condition they must rely on medication, invasive brain surgery or extremely restrictive diet regimens: therapies that are not effective in every case.
Mr. Collins, an epileptic himself says, “Epilepsy can also lead to other issues such as depression and one in 100 people diagnosed with epilepsy die of SUDEP” (sudden unexpected death related to epilepsy).
Epilepsy Canada is the only national not for profit agency that focuses solely on raising money to assist with research into the condition. It annually funds projects at Canadian universities and medical centres aimed at determining the causes of the condition and better ways to treat it. The charity receives no direct government funding and relies on corporate and private donations to reach its funding targets.
“The Quiet No More campaign is our most aggressive use of social media to date says Mr. Collins. “We are appealing to everyone to build their own personal fundraising event using the online tools we have provided through the Quiet No More website and share their commitment with friends on Facebook and Twitter.”
Information about the campaign and how supporters may get involved can be found at www.epilepsy.ca or by sending an email to support@epilepsy.ca
Pickles and Love Blaster are among the first teams to register to raise funds at the charity’s
Quiet No More website.Team Pickles -- named in honour of 20-month old Nicholas Webster of Ottawa who was diagnosed with epilepsy last year-- has set a team goal of $10,000. His mother Wendy told us, “Without medication Nicholas has up to 17-20 seizures a day.” Though appreciative of the relief that drug therapy provides her son, Ms. Webster is concerned about the long-term effect the medication may have on her child’s future. Research, she believes is the only way to find an alternative to drugs.
Over 300,000 Canadians currently battle the neurological disorder that results in seizures. Another 15,000 are expected to be diagnosed with the condition this year.
Gary Collins, Executive Director of Epilepsy Canada says, “This campaign is our latest effort to bring attention to the need for research funding for epilepsy.” He says patients who receive an epilepsy diagnosis have their lives turned upside down. To manage their condition they must rely on medication, invasive brain surgery or extremely restrictive diet regimens: therapies that are not effective in every case.
Mr. Collins, an epileptic himself says, “Epilepsy can also lead to other issues such as depression and one in 100 people diagnosed with epilepsy die of SUDEP” (sudden unexpected death related to epilepsy).
Epilepsy Canada is the only national not for profit agency that focuses solely on raising money to assist with research into the condition. It annually funds projects at Canadian universities and medical centres aimed at determining the causes of the condition and better ways to treat it. The charity receives no direct government funding and relies on corporate and private donations to reach its funding targets.
“The Quiet No More campaign is our most aggressive use of social media to date says Mr. Collins. “We are appealing to everyone to build their own personal fundraising event using the online tools we have provided through the Quiet No More website and share their commitment with friends on Facebook and Twitter.”
Information about the campaign and how supporters may get involved can be found at www.epilepsy.ca or by sending an email to support@epilepsy.ca
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