Epilepsy Conference

Standing Tall for Epilepsy:  Rights and Research

Saturday, Nov. 5, 2011
9:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. Check-in starts at 8:30
Michelle Pujol Room, SUB, University of Victoria, plus 3 breakout rooms
Parking: Pay parking in UVic lots, $6 for whole day

This year’s conference has two themes: on the medical front, our keynote speakers will forward our understanding of some of the psychiatric disorders of people with epilepsy, and give an overview of epilepsy diagnosis and treatment. On the personal front, we have invited specialists to discuss legal, educational, and employment issues to help individuals and families, offering practical, achievable strategies for living better with epilepsy.

Keynote Addresses on Epilepsy Research and Diagnosis

Dr.  Mary Connolly (pictured above), Neurologist, Clinical Professor of Pediatrics, UBC, Director of Pediatric Neurology Program at BC Children’s Hospital
Dr. Connolly will speak on her research concerning psychiatric disorders of people with epilepsy. She will discuss how her current research is leading to better understanding and treatment and the potential implications for improved quality of life for children and adults living with epilepsy.

Dr. Kristen Attwell-Pope, Neurologist,
Dr. Attwell-Pope, through a series of actual case studies, will discuss how a diagnosis of epilepsy is made and how treatment is determined.

Special Guide Dog Demonstration
Gloria Peckham, head trainer for seizure dogs at the Lions Foundation of Canada Guide Dogs, will give an information session and demonstration (by our local seizure dogs) on how these highly valuable dogs are  selected or bred as puppies, raised, and finally trained as service dogs. She will also talk about how the owners must be specially trained as well when they are matched with their dogs.

Your Rights in Action

Civil Rights: Using our newly published book Epilepsy and the Law, Annie Banks, Vancouver Island Human Rights Coalition, and Erin Pritchard, Together Against Poverty Society, will provide information on your civil rights in BC in a number of areas: benefits, employment and workplace, education, accommodation, and others.

Education: Kristin Sinclair, from the UVic Education Department, will offer a workshop on navigating the education system, to ensure you are receiving the full benefit of the programs and options available to students here in Victoria.

Employment: Bev Anderson and Beryl Swan from TYES will offer a workshop on training and employment options and opportunities in BC.

Community: Isa Milman, former Epilepsy Coordinator at the VEPC, will offer insights on developing the Victoria community for people with epilepsy. She will use her recent work through the UVic Faculty of Fine Arts Writing Program as an example of involvement, sharing, and growing together.

Download our poster and registration form, or call to register over the phone using your credit card.  Registration is $35 for members and $50 for non-members.  Subsidies available.

VEPC would like to thank UCB Canada for its generous support of this conference.