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'Purple Day®': how one girl's campaign is raising epilepsy awareness

Posted by
Eimear O'Brien, Brand Communications
25-Mar-2015

In 2008, Cassidy Megan, a young girl in Canada, wanted to get people talking about epilepsy. She decided to do something about it and the legacy of her initiative has an impact every year.

'Purple Day®, the awareness day she launched, is an annual event for addressing myths, countering stigma and raising awareness.

Cassidy chose the colour purple because it is the international colour for epilepsy. In some cultures the lavender flower is often associated with solitude, which represents the feelings of isolation felt by many people affected by epilepsy.

Celebrated on March 26th, it encourages people to wear purple and to hold events where epilepsy is discussed. Above all, it reminds people with epilepsy that they are not alone.

Purple Day® is supported by The Epilepsy Association of Nova Scotia (EANS) and by the New York-based Anita Kaufmann Foundation, and is a now in its eighth year.

Playing our part
At UCB, we continue to play our part to improve the lives of people with epilepsy. For example, we are sponsoring the 'Hack Epilepsy' events which will be held simultaneously in Brussels and Atlanta on April 24-26.

'Hackathons' are an increasingly popular way to apply fresh thinking and creative design to complex problems.

This hackathon brings together developers, designers and digital experts, along with healthcare providers, patients and their families, to imagine new ways of applying digital technologies that can make a real difference for the epilepsy community.

If you are a designer, a developer, a communicator or an entrepreneur, you can join the hackathon in Brussels or Atlanta. All you need is to be 18 years of age and have the skills and the will to create meaningful digital tools that can change lives. Visit the Hack Epilepsy website for more information about registration.

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