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Donors contribute to increasing epilepsy beds

By Don Fennell

Published 11:01 PST, Fri January 10, 2020

Through ongoing efforts of a Richmond high school student, public awareness about epilepsy is on the rise.

Last summer, Marika Lopez, a Grade 12 Hugh Boyd Secondary student, shared her story about having to deal with the unknown every day. Since her first seizure at 18 months, then being diagnosed with epilepsy at age three, the local teen has had to be constantly aware of her health.

It was also last August when Lopez, with the help of her friend Danielle Cosco, introduced a new program called Seizure Soldiers to enlighten others about epilepsy—the fourth most common neurological disorder in the world.

With increasing awareness has also come generous donations, leading to the doubling—from two to four—of the number of epilepsy beds in the province at the Seizure Investigation Unit at Vancouver General Hospital.

“All of us at the BC Epilepsy Society are immensely grateful to the generous British Columbians who stepped forward to donate their hard-earned money towards epilepsy,” said Kim Davidson, executive director of the BC Epilepsy Society.

“We are glad that the underserved epilepsy population in B.C. will be better served with the addition of these two epilepsy beds. However, at least four additional epilepsy beds are needed in the province and while the donors took care of the crisis, it is our hope that the province will take care of the rest.” 

The BC Epilepsy Society is a provincially-incorporated charitable organization and a federally registered non-profit organization that provides information, advocacy and support to people living with epilepsy in B.C. and their families and seeks to raise the awareness of epilepsy around the world. 

To learn more, visit www.bcepilepsy.com or call 604-875-6704.

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