Business advisory firm KPMG’s downtown Toronto office is hosting an employee lunch-and-learn March 22 to raise awareness of epilepsy and arm people with the knowledge necessary to foster conversations about seizure disorders.

This is one example of what private industry is doing in recognition of Epilepsy Awareness Month. The event is being organized by KPMG’s AdaptAbility Network, a group of team members that creates events advocating for people with disabilities. The lunch-and-learn will feature several speakers, including staff.

Olga Lapshinova, manager of global tax learning and development for KPMG’s Tax Business School and an AdaptAbility Network organizer, will tell her story of managing epilepsy for more than 10 years.

Gino Piazza, a KPMG director who also serves as Epilepsy Ontario’s treasurer, will speak about his connection with the organization.

Attendees will also hear from guest speaker Kelly Cvijanovich, who is the mother of two boys living with epilepsy. She will focus on the importance of employers understanding the challenges of staff members who are parents of children with epilepsy.

Epilepsy Ontario executive director Rozalyn Werner-Arcé will be dispelling some of the common myths about seizure disorders.

“We want people (to have a greater) understanding and to be more aware of what epilepsy is — that’s the whole point (of the lunch-and-learn),” says Lapshinova.

“If (staff members) know someone who has epilepsy, they will know how to respond, they will know what epilepsy is about and they will know that this is not something to dread.

“They will be able to react with a full conversation about epilepsy,” she says.

About 40 people have registered for the event, which Lapshinova says is “a very good response.”

A highlight of Epilepsy Awareness Month is Purple Day. Held March 26, Purple Day is an international event aimed at raising epilepsy awareness.

KPMG will be participating in the Thumbs Up for Epilepsy campaign as part of Purple Day. A highlight of the campaign is encouraging people to paint their thumbnails purple to show support for epilepsy awareness.

Purple nail polish and purple ribbons will be available on every floor at KPMG’s office.

It’s estimated that one in every 100 Canadians is living with epilepsy. With such a high number of people living with the neurological disorder, most of us will know someone who has epilepsy or know someone who’s affected by it.

Werner-Arcé is commending KPMG for appreciating the diversity of employees, and she says she hopes other businesses follow the company’s example.

“KPMG is demonstrating great corporate leadership by hosting this awareness event,” says Werner-Arcé.

“Not only is management taking the time to educate themselves about epilepsy, but they are also showing, in a tangible way, that they are a caring employer who values their staff.”

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Writer: Deron Hamel

* If you wish to reprint this story, please include following notice: “This story originally appeared on the Epilepsy Ontario website.”