Purple Day: Epilepsy Awareness

Today, March 26, is known as Purple Day in honor of people with epilepsy.

So how did Purple Day start? In 2008 a nine-year-old girl named, Cassidy Megan, was diagnosed with epilepsy. She wanted to create an international day to spread awareness of the disease to show people that they are not alone. In 2009, her dream came true. The Anita Kaufmann Foundation and the Epilepsy Association of Nova Scotia came together to launch the first International Purple Day.

Epilepsy is a chronic disorder

If you or someone you know suffers from epilepsy, then you or whoever comes to mind may experience recurring, unprovoked seizures. These seizures occur when they are not caused by a medical condition like drinking withdrawals or low blood sugar. Instead, with epilepsy, it may be related to brain injury or family tendencies. Most of the time the cause is unknown. The human brain is the source of epilepsy. Many people with this disease have more than one type of seizure and may have symptoms of neurological problems.

Seizures can be unpredictable

Some people—not all—may have a warning sign or an inkling that they will receive a seizure soon. That may mean a burst of electrical activity is going through the brain. The middle stage is called the “ictal phase” where visible symptoms start to show when the seizure activity in the brain stops. When it ends, the person goes into a “postictal phase” where it takes them a few minutes or hours to feel like their usual self. If a person you know has epilepsy and has a seizure, it’s best to take them to a safe place with enough space and a flat surface. Turn them to the side to open the airways for the saliva to flow out and look for medical information they should have on them.