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9-year-old Miah Wheadon getting ready to raise epilepsy awareness ahead of Purple Day

February 25, 2016

By Deron Hamel Purple Day is just around the corner, and one nine-year-old girl and her mother in a small northern Ontario community are gearing up for their annual drive to raise epilepsy awareness. For the past few years, Grade 4 student Miah Wheadon and her mother, Gina, have approached local businesses in Manitouwadge, Ont.…

Absence seizures: what they look like and how to react

February 11, 2016

By Deron Hamel The scene is a play rehearsal. Two high-school students, a boy and a girl, are practising their parts. Suddenly, the girl pauses. She stares blankly, appearing lost in her thoughts. Several seconds pass. She then she resumes speaking, as though nothing has happened. One of the students asks another if a teacher…

Sharing stories of epilepsy helps empower others

November 26, 2015

By Deron Hamel When people share their stories about living with epilepsy it often inspires others to do the same. This not only helps build a stronger community among those living with epilepsy, but many of these stories also provide hope to those living with seizure disorders. Steve Rutledge contacted Epilepsy Ontario in February to…

2,000% price hike on infantile spasms medication ‘predatory behaviour’: Neurologist

September 24, 2015

By Deron Hamel A 2,000-per-cent price hike on a medication to treat infantile spasms is “predatory behaviour” on the part of Questcor Pharmaceuticals, and drug companies could hike prices on other seizure medications if policies aren’t put into place, says pediatric neurologist Dr. Carter Snead. Infantile spasms – also called West syndrome – is a…