Assiniboia will be marking Purple Day on Friday, March 24 with a presentation at 7th Avenue School and at the Assiniboia Bakery. Parents, caregivers and the general public are encouraged to come out to be part of an open dialogue on epilepsy.
Purple Day is an international grassroots effort dedicated to increasing awareness about epilepsy worldwide. It is usually marked on March 26 but because the day falls on Sunday, community activities have been moved to March 24. This day was started in 2008 by nine-year-old Cassidy Megan of Nova Scotia who was motivated by her own struggles with epilepsy to educate others.
One of the goals of Purple Day is to help the public understand what it is like for individuals to live with epilepsy, and the stigma they still encounter in daily life.
Danis remains open and honest with her children about epilepsy. As an ambassador for the CEA, she was active in organizing Purple Day events when she lived in the northern part of the province. Danis would like to open dialogue about epilepsy in the Assiniboia community as well. She encourages parents, teachers, and others to ask questions. Danis broke the ice at the beginning of the school year for her children by writing a letter to her children’s classmates to help them understand a little about epilepsy.
Danis recommends that if you suspect someone is having a seizure, call 911 because the individual could stop breathing. You should follow this by ensuring the person is safe and cannot hurt themselves such as hitting their head on a hard floor during a seizure.
She also suggests helping the person move to the recovery position on their side and to clear debris from their mouth. If a child encounters someone with an epileptic seizure, they should yell for help and find an adult.
