Epilepsy Foundation works to improve sufferers' lives

State and federal legislation was passed this year to improve the quality of life and rights of people with epilepsy.

The Diastat Bill allows trained volunteers to administer emergency medication to children with epilepsy at Tennessee schools when the school nurse is unavailable, according to a press release.

The federal ADA Amendments Act of 2008 offers people with disabilities, such as epilepsy, protection against workplace discrimination. This also applies to people who have disabilities that can be treated with medications.

"The Epilepsy Foundation of Middle and West Tennessee regularly advocates on behalf of people with epilepsy and we are pleased that the decisions of our federal and state senators and representatives will positively affect the lives of 162,000 Tennesseans with epilepsy," said member Brent Lokey.

The foundation, a member agency of the United Way of Bedford County, has served 61 counties with free information and referral, individual and group counseling, advocacy, summer camp, educational presentations, therapeutic recreation, and service coordination for people with traumatic brain injury since 1979.

The mission of the foundation is to ensure that people with epileptic seizures are able to participate in all life experiences; and to prevent, control and cure epilepsy through services, education, advocacy, and research, so not another moment is lost to seizures, according to its website (www.epilepsytn.org).

Epilepsy is a neurological condition that from time to time produces brief disturbances in the normal electrical functions of the brain, according to a press release.

The main symptom of a person developing epilepsy is uncontrollable seizures. The disability can occur many times without warning and can be either hereditary or can develop over time.

It can be caused by anything that hurts the brain, including head injuries, strokes, brain tumors, and infections.

Some epilepsy statistics are as follows, according to the foundation site:

* Epilepsy is the third most common neurological disorder behind stroke and Alzheimer's disease. More people have epilepsy than have Parkinson's disease, cerebral palsy, and multiple sclerosis combined.

* Epileptic seizures can last anywhere from a few seconds to a few minutes and cause a change in awareness, movement, or sensation.

* In 70 percent of the cases, the cause of epilepsy is unknown.

* People rarely die from having a seizure.

* Epilepsy is not contagious and it is not a mental illness.

* Epilepsy can be treated with specific medications.

WHAT YOU CAN DO

If you would like to assist the Epilepsy Foundation of Middle and West Tennessee in any way, contact Brent Lokey at 684-5222 or blokey@epilepsytn.org. To contact United Way of Bedford County, call 684-6685.