NEWS RELEASE
EPILEPSY SIMCOE COUNTY
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Epilepsy Simcoe County is pleased to announce that Purple Day 2019 is coming to Simcoe County.
Purple Day takes place annually on March 26, and was founded by a young girl in Nova Scotia; at just nine years old, Cassidy Megan planted the seed that would one day grow into an international phenomenon.
After being diagnosed with epilepsy when she was seven, Meagan realized that many of her classmates knew very little about her disease. When she set out to change that realization, Purple Day was born, and on June 28, 2012, the Purple Day Act (Bill-278) received Royal Assent.
Epilepsy Simcoe County’s Executive Director Shawna Bailey says that the efforts to create more knowledge surrounding the disease are ongoing.
“Every year that we’ve been here we’ve made great strides in creating more awareness about epilepsy and what it means not only for the individual or their family, but for the community as a whole. Since seizures can occur anywhere, we want everyone - from friends to coworkers - to understand the basics of seizure first aid and what epilepsy actually is so that we can reduce the stigma associated with it.”
She goes on to say that the importance of having a local agency where individuals can get accurate and tailored information is essential.
T.J. Adamson, a local mom who is new to the agency, confirmed this: “we are so grateful to find Epilepsy Simcoe County. We were so confused with that we were reading on the net; Shawna sent us information that cut through the clutter and helped us make the right decisions.”
In honour of Purple Day, there will be flag raisings in Midland, Orillia, and Barrie on Monday, March 25, and the community are invited to attend by checking the schedule here.
As in years past, local Zehrs stores have been selling Purple Day t-shirts for $10, and will be asking for donations at the cash register until March 26.
From Tuesday, March 26 to Friday, March 29, CupCAKE will be making purple cake pops and donating $1 from each pop sold to ESC; the community are invited to put orders in for the cake pops ahead of time by calling 705.812.4974.
Money raised will continue to help individuals - and their families - living with epilepsy get the support that they need through educational programs, information sessions, and support groups. It will also help Epilepsy Simcoe County further the development and implementation of information sessions and first-aid seizure training for schools, community agencies, and workplaces.
Donations for Purple Day can be made online through CanadaHelps by clicking here; individuals are also invited to stay informed by following the Epilepsy Simcoe County Facebook page.
Epilepsy Simcoe County (ESC) was established in 1978 as a volunteer organization to assist the people of Simcoe County with education, support, awareness and advocacy. They are located in downtown Barrie and serve their member base in the Greater Simcoe County area. ESC provides people living with epilepsy education, understanding and support to get help they may need in a caring and understanding environment.
Epilepsy is a common disorder with over 300,000 Canadians affected and over 50 million people world wide. It is estimated 1 in 100 people in Simcoe County live with this disease.
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