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Video Diaries Document Daily Life With Epilepsy
Brussels (Belgium), 14 February 2011 – Today’s first European Epilepsy Day sees the launch of Epilepsy In Our Time, an exploration of the lives of five people living with epilepsy across Europe today, through their own video diaries.
Lloyd, Marion, Monica, David and Julie invite you to take a look at their personal experiences of living with epilepsy and their hopes for the future.
Monica, who lives in The Netherlands, did not have an accurate diagnosis or control of her epilepsy until the age of 45. “During my childhood, the clumsiness, the absent mindedness, the slight jerks in my arms - all signs of juvenile myoclonic epilepsy (JME) - went undiagnosed. That’s until I reached the age of 45. I was surprised to learn I’d been prescribed medications that weren’t suitable for JME and that my epilepsy had been misdiagnosed and therefore sub-optimally treated,” Monica continued: “I’d like to see everyone with epilepsy strive for the least amount of seizures and the least amount of side effects possible.” | ![]() |
![]() | Julie and David from the UK are parents to Dominic, an 11-year-old boy with severe epilepsy and learning difficulties. Julie said: “Dom’s learning disability means he can’t tell us how he feels when he has seizures. We can only imagine. These days, in a typical month, Dom has about 100 seizures. Dominic brings great joy to us, and on the good days I’m heartened by what might be possible in the future. His infectious smile and constant bravery seem to reaffirm my undying hope that one day we’ll be able to control this unrelenting condition.” |
Marion, who lives in France, overcame her epilepsy in an extraordinary story to win an Olympic silver medal in cycling for France at the Sydney Olympics in 2000. “Epilepsy made me push myself. Eventually, with loads of hard training, I ended up making my way to the winner’s circle. Where there’s a will there’s a way. Today, as I look back on the titles and medals I’ve won, obviously I’m very pleased with my accomplishments, because I also won despite having epilepsy.” | ![]() |
For further information
Nancy Nackaerts, External Communications, UCB
T +32.473.864.414, nancy.nackaerts@ucb.com
Eimear O Brien, Associate Director, Global CNS Communications
T +32 2 559 9271, eimear.obrien@ucb.com
About UCB
UCB, Brussels, Belgium (www.ucb.com) is a global biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery and development of innovative medicines and solutions to transform the lives of people living with severe diseases of the immune system or of the central nervous system. With more than 8,000 people in about 40 countries, the company generated revenue of EUR 3.1 billion in 2009. UCB is listed on Euronext Brussels (symbol: UCB).
Forward-looking statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements based on current plans, estimates and beliefs of management. Such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to be materially different from those that may be implied by such forward-looking statements contained in this press release. Important factors that could result in such differences include: changes in general economic, business and competitive conditions, effects of future judicial decisions, changes in regulation, exchange rate fluctuations and hiring and retention of its employees.
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