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Epilepsy Awareness Month 2018: What you need to know

November isn’t just for Thanksgiving and Black Friday deals. It also means it’s time for another Epilepsy Awareness Month.

National Epilepsy Awareness Month is celebrated during the month of November in the United States. So, it is a great opportunity to get people talking about a disease that affects between 1% and 3% of the population. Let’s put those numbers in context: 2% of the world’s population is 150,000,000 people. And, according to Handbook of Epilepsy, approximately 3% of people can be expected to have epilepsy at some point in their lives.

Why does this matter to you?

You may be surprised to learn that Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy (SUDEP) is a real concern. Or, you may have been personally affected by SUDEP. According to the CDC, SUDEP refers to deaths in people with epilepsy that are not caused by injury, drowning, or other known causes. Studies suggest that each year there are about 1.16 cases of SUDEP for every 1,000 people with epilepsy.

How can you support epilepsy awareness month?

Epilepsy Blog Relay

First off, you can simply start by learning more about epilepsy. No matter how long you have been living with epilepsy, or caring for those with epilepsy, there is always more to learn about the disease. Throughout the month, people around the world share stories on Living Well With Epilepsy as part of the November Epilepsy Blog Relay. It is a great way to get 30 different perspectives on this chronic illness that affects so many.

Check out an epilepsy podcast

If you are in the NYC area, join Alisa Kennedy Jones, author of Gotham Girl Interrupted, and Jessica Keenan Smith, founder of Living Well With Epilepsy, as they launch their new podcast, “Fits ‘n Starts,” for a fun, frank discussion about living – and living well – with epilepsy on

Date: Thursday, November 15, 2018 @ 7:00 pm.

Location: EPIC Long Island, 1500 Hempstead Turnpike, East Meadow, NY

Support your local organization

Next you can find your local epilepsy organization and give your time, talent (or treasure!) — it’s up to you.

Read an epilepsy author

Or you could read one of the many personal epilepsy stories that have recently hit the market:

Share your story

Of course Epilepsy Awareness Month is a great opportunity to share your story.

Share your story

 

Follow Jessica K. Smith:

Founder

Founder and CEO Jessica brings a unique perspective to this leading epilepsy blog as she was diagnosed with epilepsy as a teen. She also brings 20+ years experience in marketing.

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