NEW YORK, March 22 Members of the U.S. House and Senate, children in schools across the country, and employees of workplaces nationwide will wear purple to support epilepsy awareness on March 26. Thousands of Americans will also join the campaign by hosting Purple Day activities in their regions.
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Purple Day was founded in 2008, by nine-year-old Cassidy Megan. Motivated by her own struggles with epilepsy, Cassidy created the day to tell other kids about the disorder and inform those with seizures that they are not alone. She named the day after the internationally recognized color for epilepsy, lavender.
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"Purple Day tells the world that people with epilepsy are just like everybody else," says Cassidy Megan.
Epilepsy affects 3 million people in the United States and over 50 million people worldwide. More people than multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy and Parkinson's disease combined. Despite its prevalence, epilepsy is not well understood and many still face social stigma and discrimination due to a lack of awareness about the disorder.
"Purple Day reminds Americans that people with epilepsy deserve understanding and acceptance," says Debra Josephs, Executive Director of The Anita Kaufmann Foundation. "When the public is given information about seizure types and seizure first aid training, their fear subsides and gives way to understanding."
The Anita Kaufmann Foundation and Epilepsy Association of Nova Scotia are the global partners of Purple Day. Volunteer ambassadors and local epilepsy organizations are helping organize events in countries around the world, including the United States, Mexico, the Netherlands, Australia, Uganda and Kuwait.
To learn more about Purple Day and events taking place in your area, please visit www.purpleday.org.
Photos are available upon request.
The Anita Kaufmann Foundation (AKF) is a non-profit organization whose mission is to educate the public not to fear epilepsy and seizures. AKF provides free epilepsy education and seizure first aid programs and materials across the United States in an effort to eliminate stigma and increase awareness about the condition and its impact on families and entire communities. For more information, please visit www.akfus.org or call 201-655-0420.
SOURCE The Anita Kaufmann Foundation
