Purple Day

Purple Day 2010 is here and the world is turning purple!From the Purple Day website:

Founded in 2008, by nine-year-old Cassidy Megan of Nova Scotia, Canada, with the help of the Epilepsy Association of Nova Scotia, Purple Day is an international grassroots effort dedicated to increasing awareness about epilepsy worldwide. On March 26, people from around the globe are asked to wear purple and spread the word about epilepsy.

Why? Epilepsy affects over 50 million people worldwide. That's more than multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy and Parkinson's disease combined.

Why purple? Lavender is the international color for epilepsy.

Together we can make a difference. Together we can ensure that Epilepsy gets the attention it needs to secure funds to support research and outreach programs. The government invests $140–160 million in epilepsy research, but per patient contributes less to epilepsy than it does to other major neurological disorders. Finally, at less than $10 million, non-profit foundations contribute less than $4 per patient to epilepsy research. Parkinson’s, by contrast, receives $40–50 per patient from nonprofits.

All told, epilepsy receives less total funding per patient than Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and autism. Per researcher, funding for epilepsy lags average funding for all diseases by nearly 50%. It is hard to imagine finding a cure (or cures) for epilepsy will be feasible without a significant increase in funding across all three sources. In particular, much can be done to drive an increase in contributions to epilepsy organizations for research, where the gap is most significant relative to other neurological disorders (cureepilepsy.org)

Visit www.purpleday.org for more information on this amazing movement. Click HERE to get involved in Team Noahs Noggin. Only together, can we make a difference. Go Purple!

Best,
G