Prepare yourself for Epilepsy Awareness Month for all of November by pulling out all of your purple, the color most used to celebrate the month. Nearly three million Americans, or one in 26 Americans experience Epilepsy at some point in their lives. The cause of the disease is unknown in about two-thirds of cases, not very well understood and there isn’t a definite cure as of now.
Epilepsy is a neurological seizure disorder that is classified on terms of abnormal patterns of electricity in the brain. Certain side effects such as loss of consciousness and sensory disturbance are also common with the disorder.
“I had seizures when I was little,” senior Katie Holst said. “It’s a scary thing. I know what it feels like to not be able to control your own body.”
Plenty of events take place every year to raise awareness including Purple Day on March 26, painting pumpkins purple for Halloween, and even a national walk to raise money to find a cure. Epilepsy costs the United States about $15 billion each year, yet still very little is known about the disease.
“People with Epilepsy live normal lives, they have friends, they’re just normal kids like everyone else,” school nurse Jamie Ennis said. “Just having a plan in place for them is important.”
Even celebrities like Lil’ Wayne, Susan Boyle and Prince have battled Epilepsy at one point or another in their lives. More information can be found on purpleday.org and on even more sites.
“I feel like with people knowing about it, we’re bound to find someone that has a cure.” Holst said.