The purple haze of awareness is blowing in from epilepsyQuesnel for the 11th year in a row.
March is the commemorative month dedicated to unpacking the realities of this common disease, in its many forms and complex consequences, and to raise funds for helping those who live with those consequences.
Epilepsy affects one in every 100 Canadians, with confirmed cases in more than 50,000 British Columbians (10,000 of whom are children). About 400,000 people across Canada have some form of epilepsy, and 65-million globally.
The leading advocacy and fundraising agency in the city - one of the strongest in the province - is epilepsyQuesnel.
Some of the Top 10 dates on the epilepsy awareness calendar this month:
1. March 9 - Sip & Splatter Paint Night (sold out);
2. All March long - Quesnel Bakery’s usual goodies selling with proceeds to epilepsy causes (Cookies For Epilepsy and the much loved old-fashioned sour cream donuts);
3. March 13 - Quesnel Bakery’s Scrumptious Lunch For Epilepsy (by pre-order only, deadline Mar. 8);
4. All March long - Craig’s Table selling Eggs Benny For Epilepsy;
5. All March long - Purple ribbons by donation at Fraserview Pharmacy;
6. All March long - Extra Foods Pharmacy selling Cookies For Epilepsy;
7. March 23-27 - Shopper’s Drug Mart selling Cookies For Epilepsy;
8. March 26 - Global Purple Day For Epilepsy, started in 2008 by a Nova Scotia 9-year-old named Cassidy Megan and is now celebrated in more than 100 countries. Quesnel Bakery will be selling specialty doughnuts that day.
9. March 26-28 - Bliss Cafe holding their Mega Hot Dog Sale (as in, hotdogs the size of a plate) by pre-order only on or before Mar. 23.
10. All March long - epilepsyQuesnel silent auction. Auction sheets are available at participating locations. See the poster at the epilepsyQuesnel page on Facebook for more information. Over the years, the silent auction has raised more than $55,000 total, and the goal for 2024 is to get past the $65,000 mark.
When monies are raised in Quesnel during these events and activities, the funds are centre on epilepsyQuesnel which in turn supports the work of the Vancouver General Hospital’s Epilepsy Program and Seizure Investigation Unit.
Follow epilepsyQuesnel on social media for epilepsy features every week throughout March, including some hard facts, Natasha’s Story (the founder of eQ), info on seizure first aid, and more.
READ MORE: Quesnel bridges the epilepsy awareness gap
READ MORE: Epilepsy leaves a mark in Quesnel