NEWS RELEASE
EPILEPSY SIMCOE COUNTY
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Epilepsy Simcoe County would like to thank the Zehrs stores in our region for raising funds in honor of Purple Day throughout the month of March this year.
Purple Day, which takes place annually on March 26, was founded by a young girl in Nova Scotia. After being diagnosed with epilepsy at seven, Cassidy Megan realized that many of her classmates knew very little about her disease. So, she set out to change that and Purple Day was born.
Epilepsy Simcoe County’s Executive Director Shawna Bailey says that the efforts to create more knowledge surrounding epilepsy are ongoing.
“Every year 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.”
Bailey highlighted the importance of having a local agency where individuals can get accurate and tailored information.
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.
Together, during the COVID-19 pandemic, local Zehrs stores raised over $1500 for Epilepsy Simcoe County which will go toward our education, advocacy, and support initiatives for those living with epilepsy in our region. This unprecedented time is difficult for non-profits and we are grateful that Zehrs promoted this important day, and collected donations on ESC’s behalf. Thank-you for being a wonderful community partner!
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