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Information for Sinemet Users

There  have been some recent announcements regarding Sinemet that our Parkinson's clients should be aware of.  Please read about those changes here as well as about Merck Canada's Sinemet Patient Assistance Program.

 

Save the Date!

Our biennial conference on Parkinson's will take place on Saturday, April 14th and will feature J. Eric Ahlskog, Ph.D., M.D., Professor of Neurology at the Mayo Clinic, and Dr Matthew Farrer, Canada Excellence Research Chair in Neirogentics and Translational Neuroscience at the University of British Columbia. Watch for information in the new year!


VEPC Seeks New Board Members

Are you someone with epilepsy or Parkinson’s?  Are you a friend or family member of someone with epilepsy or Parkinson’s?  Do you have skills that could contribute to a nonprofit Board?


The Victoria Epilepsy and Parkinson’s Centre (VEPC) is a vibrant and welcoming non-profit society whose purpose is to strengthen clients’, families’ and communities’ ability to manage the physical, psychological and social effects of Parkinson’s and epilepsy.  VEPC is managed by a volunteer Board of Directors made up of people living with epilepsy or Parkinson’s and professionals with an interest in the two disorders.  Board members are appointed for an initial one-year term followed by two-year terms.  Each Board member is expected to serve on at least one Board committee.  The Board of Directors provides overall direction for the organization and is responsible for ensuring VEPC’s programmatic and fiscal health and accountability. 


VEPC is currently seeking new Board members.  We are particularly interested in individuals with backgrounds in finance, fundraising, and public relations.  We are seeking people with strong ties to the local community and an interest in epilepsy and/or Parkinson’s.  Board members are typically selected by the current Board of Directors and approved by the General Membership at VEPC’s Annual General Meeting.
If you have knowledge and experience that will assist VEPC as it grows to meet the needs of growing populations of individuals with epilepsy and Parkinson’s in the Victoria Capital Regional District, we encourage you to apply to join VEPC’s Board of Directors by contacting us to request an application. 


You can reach VEPC at (250) 475-6677, help@vepc.bc.ca, or visit our website at www.vepc.bc.ca
 

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Get Ready for Purple Day
 
 
 
Purple Day for Epilepsy (Purple Day) is held each year on March 26 and this year on March 24th you can join in and help with Victoria's first annual Plane Pull for Epilepsy. This one day event - the Viscount Air Plane Pull for Epilepsy - will see teams gather together to raise pledges in support of the Victoria Epilepsy and Parkinson's Centre Society (VEPC) and join in a fun and engaging day of competition and camaraderie at the Viscount Aero Centre, located near Victoria's International Airport.

 

Be a part of the fun of this first time event that will capture the attention, minds and hearts of the community and pull together for a great cause!  See the website at www.victoriaplanepull.ca.

 

 

 

Class Action on Neurontin

Individuals with epilepsy who have taken Neurontin, should be aware of a Class Action law suit currently underway.  Please read more here.

 

Purple Day

 

2011 Purple Day Events (see pictures)

On March 10, the City of Victoria kicked off Purple Day for Epilepsy activities with a reading of the City of Victoria Purple Day Proclamation.  The Proclamation was read at the city council meeting where city councilors wore Purple Day buttons and wristbands.

VEPC's kickoff to Purple Day was held at Beacon Hill Park Children's Petting Zoo on Sunday March 20, 2011. Families came out to see the goats with purple bows, city councillor Charlayne Thornton-Joe read the Purple Day proclamation, and everyone enjoyed the antics of the Sunshine Clown Band.

Throughout the week was the Great Purple Cupcake Project sponsored by VEPC and Ooh La La Cupcakes (at any of their 3 Victoria locations). For the week of Purple Day anyone could purchase purple cupcakes from Ooh La La and 20% of the proceeds were donated to VEPC. 

This year UCB Canada and the Sara Spencer Foundation sponsored Victoria's Purple Day Ambassadors.  Purple Day ambassadors raised awareness throughout Vancouver Island leading up to Purple Day, including activities held at the University of Victoria, Camosun College, St. Margaret's School, the Emily Carr Library and up island in Campbell River and French Creek!

The  Purple Day Bunny Hop for epilepsy awareness also took place in March. Daycare centers around Victoria participated to raise money and epilepsy awareness.  If your day care is interested in participating next year, please contact Lissa Zala at  lzala@vepc.bc.ca or call her at (250) 475-6677.

Even though the BC legislature wasn't sitting in March, the Ministry of Health Services helped VEPC to raise epilepsy awareness by proclaiming March 26th Purple Day for Epilepsy throughout the Province of BC.

VEPC is dedicated to spreading epilepsy awareness, especially around Purple Day. Thanks to the support of UCB Canada, we have lots of Purple Day materials, which can raise epilepsy awareness throughout the year.  Encourage your family, friends, students and colleagues to wear purple and let us know if you would like materials for your workplace or school. Contact VEPC to pick up your brochures, posters, bookmarks, buttons, wristbands, or any other supplies you need!

Purple Day is a grassroots effort dedicated to increasing awareness about epilepsy worldwide. On March 26th, people from around the globe are asked to wear purple and spread the word about epilepsy.

Purple Day was founded in 2008 by nine-year-old Cassidy Megan of Halifax, Nova Scotia. Motivated by her own experience with epilepsy, Cassidy started Purple Day in an effort to get people talking about the disorder and to inform those with seizures that they are not alone. She named the day Purple Day after the internationally recognized color for epilepsy, lavender.

The first Purple Day was a great success. From students in classrooms around the world to Paul Shaffer of the Late Show with David Letterman, people wore purple to spread the word.

This year, the Canadian Epilepsy Alliance/Alliance Canadienne de l’Epilepsie has teamed up with epilepsy organizations from around the globe to help make Purple Day 2011 even bigger. UCB Canada, the Anita Kauffman Foundation in the United States and epilepsy agencies from as far as South Africa, Britain and Israel have already joined the campaign. Monuments such as the CN Tower and Niagara Falls are being lit in purple on March 26th and people from around the globe are hosting Purple Day parties to support the cause.  
For more information, please visit www.purpleday.org.

About the Canadian Epilepsy Alliance/Alliance Canadienne de l'Epilepsie

The Canadian Epilepsy Alliance (CEA) is a Canada wide network of grassroots organizations dedicated to the promotion of independence and quality of life for people with epilepsy and their families, through support services, information, advocacy, and public awareness.

The Canadian Epilepsy Alliance includes rural, urban, local, and provincial incorporated Epilepsy Associations from coast to coast in Canada. We currently have member associations in Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, and British Columbia. The Alliance has emerged as a formidable voice for the epilepsy community and as a leading influence in the promotion of service innovation and excellence in Canada. Please visit our website at www.epilepsymatters.com or call 1-866-epilepsy

In Victoria, the Victoria Epilepsy and Parkinson’s Centre is a proud member of the Canadian Epilepsy Alliance. For more information on the services we offer, please visit our website at www.vepc.bc.ca or call us at 250-475-6677.

 

About Purple Day Founder Cassidy Megan –

Hi, my name is Cassidy Megan. I'm 10 years old and I have epilepsy. I started Purple Day because I wanted to tell everyone about epilepsy, especially that all seizures are not the same and that people with epilepsy are ordinary people just like everyone else. I also wanted kids with epilepsy to know that they are not alone.


Before I started Purple Day, I was afraid to tell people about my epilepsy because I thought they would make fun of me. After the Epilepsy Association of Nova Scotia did a presentation in my class, I started to talk with the other kids about my seizures. That is when I decided to become a spokesperson for kids with epilepsy.

Please join me in wearing purple on March 26th to support epilepsy awareness.

- Cassidy

To hear Cassidy talk about Purple Day in the public service announcement for radio, go to www.purpleday.org

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