From November 2-29, 2023, the University of Cincinnati Gardner Neuroscience Institute will be lit purple for epilepsy awareness month. Thanks to a generous donation of an 80' articulating boom lift from Sunbelt Rentals, this vision was able to become a reality!
While epilepsy may be defined by its seizures, sometimes the stigma of epilepsy can have an even larger impact on one's quality of life than the seizures themselves. Discrimination in both school and in the workplace, social exclusion, myths resulting in exorcisms, and misunderstandings in seizure first aid, the misinformation shrouding epilepsy has created a general state of fear of the disease.
MYTH #1: There is only one type of seizure.
When referring to a "seizure," the scene of someone going unconscious, convulsing, turning blue, and foaming at the mouth usually comes to mind. And, yes, this is one type of seizure - a generalized tonic-clonic seizure. But, there are other types of seizures, too! Channing has had tonic-clonic seizures, drop seizures which look like a dead man fall, absence seizures which aren't that much different from day dreaming, myoclonic jerks which resemble a twitch, and she's also had seizures that affect certain areas of her brain. For instance, Channing may lose her vision, her speech, or the ability to move depending on where in the brain the seizure is occurring. As Channing likes to say, "I feel safer on a horse than I do crossing the street. If I were to cross the street and space out during an absence seizure, the driver wouldn't notice, and I wouldn't be able to do anything."
MYTH #2: It is physically IMPOSSIBLE to swallow your own tongue.
MYTH #3: Epilepsy is NOT contagious.
MYTH #1: There is only one type of seizure.
When referring to a "seizure," the scene of someone going unconscious, convulsing, turning blue, and foaming at the mouth usually comes to mind. And, yes, this is one type of seizure - a generalized tonic-clonic seizure. But, there are other types of seizures, too! Channing has had tonic-clonic seizures, drop seizures which look like a dead man fall, absence seizures which aren't that much different from day dreaming, myoclonic jerks which resemble a twitch, and she's also had seizures that affect certain areas of her brain. For instance, Channing may lose her vision, her speech, or the ability to move depending on where in the brain the seizure is occurring. As Channing likes to say, "I feel safer on a horse than I do crossing the street. If I were to cross the street and space out during an absence seizure, the driver wouldn't notice, and I wouldn't be able to do anything."
MYTH #2: It is physically IMPOSSIBLE to swallow your own tongue.
MYTH #3: Epilepsy is NOT contagious.
THE IDEA
Every year on March 26th, key landmarks around the world illuminate purple in order to spread awareness about epilepsy! The idea originated with epilepsy advocate, Cassidy Megan, and evolved into what’s now known as #PurpleDay in 2008.
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Cassidy Megan created the idea of Purple Day in 2008, motivated by her own struggles with epilepsy. Cassidy’s goal is to get people talking about epilepsy in an effort to dispel myths and inform those with seizures that they are not alone. The Epilepsy Association of The Maritimes came on board in 2008 to help develop Cassidy’s idea which is now known as Purple Day.
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Epilepsy affects more people than Multiple Sclerosis, Cerebral Palsy, Parkinson’s disease, and ALS combined, yet receives less funding than each of them.