Epilepsy Awareness Month Part 2: Days 16 – 30

  • Post category:Educational / Epilepsy
  • Reading time:3 mins read

Purple epilepsy‑awareness graphic featuring the silhouette of two adults and two children holding hands. A purple ribbon appears beside them, and text emphasizes the strength of parents supporting a child with epilepsy. The design includes the phrase “Epilepsy Awareness” and a link for more information.

 

This is Part 2 of the daily epilepsy facts that Stacy has been posting on James’ Facebook page, and includes days 16 through 30. If you missed Part 1, or just want to review the first fifteen facts, they can be found here.

Stacy is keeping her Epilepsy Awareness Fundraiser open until December 6th, so if you are interested in buying something as a Christmas gift—or for yourself—you still have a little bit of time to place an order. She will be donating 20% to the Epilepsy Foundation Greater Chicago. If you would rather make a donation directly to this wonderful organization in James’ honor, their donation page can be found here.

 

Day 16

James’ VNS levels out the activity in his brain with a little shock of electricity every minute. We don’t 100% know if it’s still working or if it’s just a combo of things but seizures are still at bay!

Epilepsy Awareness Month poster featuring a side‑profile illustration of a human head with the brain highlighted in bright yellow and orange to show electrical activity. Text on the poster explains that November is Epilepsy Awareness Month and includes a fact of the day noting that a seizure is a disturbance in the brain’s electrical activity. The design encourages sharing and educating others about epilepsy.

 

Day 17

James was diagnosed with epilepsy after several bicycling seizures in the NICU.

Epilepsy Awareness Month poster in purple and white. The top reads “November is Epilepsy Awareness Month,” with the phrase “be E aware!” in large stylized lettering. A small calendar graphic marks November 17 as the fact‑of‑the‑day. The main text explains that epilepsy is diagnosed when someone has two or more unprovoked seizures at least 24 hours apart, shown alongside a globe with a large “24.” The bottom encourages sharing and educating others about epilepsy.

 

Day 18

Epilepsy Awareness Month poster featuring a baby sitting on the floor playing with colorful plastic toys. The design uses purple and white text, highlighting the November 18 fact‑of‑the‑day: epilepsy affects 1 in 26 people, compared to 1 in 88 for autism. Sources are listed, and the poster encourages sharing and educating others about epilepsy.

 

Day 19

Epilepsy Awareness Month poster with a gold compass on the right side and purple text on the left. The November 19 fact‑of‑the‑day explains that people with epilepsy navigate many potential seizure triggers, including lack of sleep, stress, flashing lights, anxiety, missed medications, fatigue, hormones, alcohol, and more. The bottom encourages viewers to share and educate others about epilepsy.

 

Day 20

Seizures are horrible to watch, no matter if it’s a human or animal.

Epilepsy Awareness Month poster featuring a light brown dog lying down on a white background. Purple text highlights the November 20 fact‑of‑the‑day, explaining that epilepsy is not limited to humans and that its prevalence in dogs has been estimated as high as 5.7%. The design encourages viewers to share and educate others about epilepsy.

 

Day 21

Epilepsy Awareness Month poster featuring a football player in a green uniform with the number 82, holding a football while running. Purple text highlights the November 21 fact‑of‑the‑day, explaining that head trauma or injury is one of the common causes of epilepsy. The bottom encourages viewers to share and educate others about epilepsy.

 

Day 22

Epilepsy does not define a person. That person suffers from seizures and has epilepsy.

Epilepsy Awareness Month poster featuring a large, diverse group of people smiling and standing together to represent community and support. Purple text highlights the November 22 fact‑of‑the‑day, explaining that the word “epileptic” shouldn’t be used to define a person, and that “person with epilepsy” is the respectful phrasing. The bottom encourages sharing and educating others about epilepsy.

 

Day 23

I’m sure the cost has gone up since this fact was first published.

Epilepsy Awareness Month poster featuring stacks of U.S. dollar bills wrapped in colored bands. Purple text highlights the November 23 fact‑of‑the‑day, stating that epilepsy results in an estimated annual cost of $15.5 billion in medical expenses and lost or reduced earnings and productivity. The bottom encourages viewers to share and educate others about epilepsy.

 

Day 24

We are thankful that James does not have horrible seizures and pray that he never does.

Epilepsy Awareness Month poster featuring a healthcare professional holding a baby, symbolizing medical care and support. Purple text highlights the November 24 fact‑of‑the‑day, explaining that seizures can take many forms, from brief sensory disruptions or staring spells to prolonged convulsions. The bottom encourages viewers to share and educate others about epilepsy.

 

Day 25

James and all of his friends who suffer with seizures love hugs and kisses!! Don’t shy away from anyone, especially a special needs child.

Epilepsy Awareness Month poster showing two people embracing, one smiling warmly. Purple text highlights the November 25 fact‑of‑the‑day, stating that epilepsy is not contagious. The bottom encourages viewers to share and educate others about epilepsy.

 

Day 26

Epilepsy Awareness Month poster in purple and white with the November 26 fact‑of‑the‑day. The text explains that a person cannot swallow their tongue during a seizure, noting that this is a common myth. A bold red “FALSE” stamp reinforces the correction. The bottom encourages viewers to share and educate others about epilepsy.

 

Day 27

We found a medication in 2018 that has helped control and reduce James’ seizures. As weird as it sounds, his seizures have been almost nonexistent since his spinal fusion surgery.

Epilepsy Awareness Month poster featuring a child on a swing, shown in motion against a purple‑themed background. The November 27 fact‑of‑the‑day explains that myoclonic‑astatic epilepsy (Doose syndrome) is an early‑childhood epilepsy syndrome that is often resistant to medication, difficult to treat, and typically involves hard‑to‑control generalized seizures with no known cause. The bottom encourages viewers to share and educate others about epilepsy.

 

Day 28

James does not have Dravet Syndrome, but we have several friends whose little ones suffer from Dravet on a daily basis, and a few have passed away at a young age.

Epilepsy Awareness Month poster featuring a baby lying on their back and looking upward, set against a purple‑themed design. The November 28 fact‑of‑the‑day explains that Dravet spectrum disorders are a group of related epilepsies with a shared genetic cause, with first seizures typically appearing before age one and often triggered only by fever or illness. The bottom encourages viewers to share and educate others about epilepsy.

 

Day 29

There have been way too many little ones that we know that have passed away from epilepsy, or a combo between seizures and something else. This number to way too high!

Epilepsy Awareness Month poster featuring a sunset or sunrise with silhouetted trees against a warm sky. Purple text highlights the November 29 fact‑of‑the‑day, stating that about 50,000 people die each year from epilepsy‑related causes, including prolonged seizures, SUDEP, and seizure‑related accidents, noting this number exceeds deaths from breast cancer, drunk driving, drug overdoses, and skin cancer. The bottom encourages viewers to share and educate others about epilepsy.

 

Day 30

Hopefully we didn’t overwhelm anyone with these facts, and we educated a few of you that don’t know much about epilepsy.

Epilepsy Awareness Month poster with a purple theme and an illustration of two people embracing, one wearing a hat and the other a headscarf. The November 30 message thanks supporters of epilepsy awareness and acknowledges that many people live with seizures, fear, stigma, and loss. It encourages changing how the world understands epilepsy and reminds viewers they’re not alone. The bottom urges people to share and educate others about epilepsy.