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PAGE 16, WH1TY FREE PRESS. WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 2,1989 v~ Iagie isa ntionl cmpagn of The Canadian Centre for Philanhropy to increase I Canadians' awareness and contribution to all charitableand volunteer orgamizations. We support their goals and are contributing space for the Imagine ads on'this and other pages. Epilepsy a misuniderstood.disease iLrudie Zavadovics, Besides being great talents, what do Van Gogh, Caesar, Na poleon, William Pitt, Dickens, Lrd Byron, Handel, Beethoven, actor John Considine, former NHL'er Gary Howatt, marathon runner Patti Wilson and basket- bail player-Bobby Jones have in common? They have ail suffered from epilepsy. Statistics state that one per cent of the population sufiers from epilepsy, and about six per cent of the population is affected ... one percentOf the population suffers from epilepsy by epilepsy, touching their lives. pproximate y 40000 Cana- dians have epilepsy. "Taking t hose statistics, Dur- ham, with its population at about 310,000, can look at hav- ing about 3,000 people who suf- fer from epilepsy," says Pamela King, president, of the Epilepsy (Ontario)'Oshawa & Aiea Chap- ter. In January, 1986, when King>s eight-month-old daughter Shan- non was diagnosed as having seizure disorders (a gentier, diag- nostic term for epiiepsy), two nrionths after havrng her first seizure and 12 hours after her thirdimmunization needle. There was nowhere in Durhamn for she and her family to go for help, support, or information. "At first we were frightened, frightened for her life. Being in the hospital itself was a stressful situation. Shannon was in the hospital a lot for the first year to year and a haif. "There were no goups out here at the time. I contacted Epilesy Ontario. They gave me pamphlets. I went to the hibrary and got books out. We tried to educate ourselves and our fam- ilies so they would know what Shannon was going throug and what we had to cope with."0 The Epilepsy (Ontario) Osh- awa & Aiea Chapter began in Deoember, 1987 with Judy Dixon as its first president. "I saw an ad in the paper. t was nice to talk to other parents of children with epilepsy," says Ki ng "Fo the first six months, the goal of the association was to get information out to the peo ple. We'd have guest speakers like ambulance attendants or neuro- logists. We'd also have kid's nxghts with entertainment such as clowns or p uppeteers. "Now we h ave monthly meet- ings (second Tuesday of each month at the Kinsmen Com- munity Centre - 109 Colborne St. W., Oshawa at 7:30 p.m.) with speakers on alternate months. It is very much a support group "It was nice to talk to othe r pare nts of children with epilepsy." where people with epilepsy, and parents of children with epilepsy, can get together and talk. There, is a general topic to guide the discussion. "The chapter has a proxi- mately 45 members with fg to 20 volunteers. We are constantly sending information and display- ing our materials in mails. We also took part in National Access Awareness Week." November is national Epilepsy Awareness Week and the Osh- awa chapter is planning some activities.' "We are going to, be at the Oshawa Centre with our display. We had a display there in April, says King. We welcome volunteers. We are not a member of the United Way. This year, we. have to go out otf our membership and ask for volunteers. Sometimes it's hard to get our membership in- volved. "For a lot of people it's hard to talk about. A lot of our member- ship are not able to do certain things because they might have seizures. We need volunteers for our 'Glad Days' Aug. 16-19." They are also iooking for a volunteer social worker or coun- sellor to facilitate a youth group. "The i'nvolvement I have now is good therapy. Epilepsy is nothing to be ashamed of. Lt is something, that with good medi- cation, shouldn't interrupt their lives too much. "Our goal is public education about epilepsy." (The preferred phraseoiogy is 'a person who has eilepsy or a person with epilepsy rather than «'l£o parents who have children with epilepsy, I would recom- mend that they get as much information as they can from outside agencies. The resouroes are there. The sooner you get action going on it, the sooner you get bel p and relief." For further information write P-0. Box 1304, Station 'B', Osh- awa,' Ontario L1J 6P8 or cali (416) 436-3152. EPILEPSY (ONTAIRTO) OSHAWA & AREA CH[APTER Purpose: To educate the public. about epilepsy through public speaking and events. To act as a support for people with epilepsy and parents of children with epilepsy. Membership: 45 Fundraising.-Various events Contact: Pamela King 436-3152 L ......have been giving money (VOUR NAME GOES HERE) to . . .. for some years <VOUR CHOSEN CHARITIES) now When 1 stop and think about how much more a- ...... ... .. -costs (NAME YOUR FAVOURITE CHOCOLATE BAR) now compared to then, I realize I've accomrnodated to the cost of living and PAMELA KING, president of the Epi- lepsy (Ontario) Oshawa and Area Chapter, displays the electronic type- writer donated by the Whitby Optimist Club. not to the cost of giving. Frorn now on, I'rn going to make the adjustment. 1 know my family won't feel iii. Even ....... ... ..will eat as wel I as ever. (VOUR PETS NAME) Whitby Optimists provide help for Epilepsy Assoc. by Trudie Zavadovics on -Juiy 24 the Epilepsy Oshsiva & Aiea Chapter. right into the memory, then just TH GVNGBGISWIHYO .(Ontario) Oshawa & Aiea Chap- V'wrtalee sk.gi change the namnes and dates,'" THE IVIG BE INSWITHYOUter purchased a Sharp XQ345A 'ewoealttrak i fsays King. electronic typewriter, with 10K they could fund the typewriter~ memory, as a result of a dona- That night'Paul came aâck'- from *We chose it because of those tion from the Whitby Optimist the meeting with a ché ue for features. We needed something Club $800 which was our cost o the t bat wasanmpoeeto 'r "aul Hayne, the husband of typewriter. List price it is about what we had. We had a real one of our members (Britt), $1,200,">] says King- clunker - the type wasn't even beln~ste he hity Otomst It has a computer component, very clear.»p -apellhe k,11ld tpe feau a 0tinhs lbpe nd,ý,,,. it C b re ÎJter sdetiJlD1li?1 TAXKE THIS AD PERSONALLY 1~, A * f~. * ~'