By Deron Hamel
Lawton Osler has seen some pretty amazing results since the OBCL Epilepsy Scholarship Awards began in 2006.
In an interview with Voices of Epilepsy, Osler, whose company, Osler Business Consulting Ltd., sponsors the scholarship, notes that some recipients have made a mark with their academic pursuits. For instance, Dr. Melanie Jeffrey is now an epilepsy researcher and Epilepsy Ontario board member.
But perhaps what is most notable, Osler says, is what happens every June when OBCL scholarship recipients gather at a ceremony to receive their certificates and $1,000 cheques.
It’s here he sees first-hand the difference the scholarships make in the lives of young people living with epilepsy.
“The (ceremonies) that we have in June are the highlight of the year; these people get together and I’ve seen the students, their parents, grandparents, and boyfriends and girlfriends get together, and it’s just amazing,” he says.
“By the time the evening is over, I’ve seen these students talking to each other and exchanging e-mail addresses.”
OBCL Epilepsy Scholarships are awarded each year to exceptional students who have confronted and overcome remarkable barriers in their academic and personal lives due to their epilepsy.
To be eligible for an OBCL scholarship, students must be Canadian citizens or permanent residents who have been accepted into a post-secondary educational program and entering their first year. They must also be under an Ontario physician’s care for epilepsy.
Applicants must also provide a 600- to 900-word handwritten essay focused on how epilepsy has shaped their lives and what they have done to overcome barriers and challenges related to their condition.
Osler is understandably proud his company sponsors the scholarships. Many students living with epilepsy face significant challenges stemming from their condition, coupled with the financial challenges many students face when having to pay for their education.
Receiving one of the six $1,000 scholarships can alleviate some of the financial burden that comes with pursuing post-secondary education, Osler notes.
The history of the OBCL scholarships goes back to the early 2000s, when two pharmaceutical companies – first Pfizer, then Lundbeck Canada – offered the scholarships.
Osler, a past Epilepsy Ontario president, was involved with the committee that judged the essays during this time. When Lundbeck stopped sponsoring the scholarship nine years ago, Osler saw a chance to help young Ontarians living with epilepsy finance their post-secondary education.
He’s never looked back on this decision.
“(Helping) these six people go to university is probably the most important thing I’ve got going, next to my family,” Osler says.
Six $1,000 scholarships are once again being awarded to students with epilepsy aged 16 to 29. The scholarships will be presented at a ceremony in June.
The deadline for application is May 1 at 5 p.m.
Click here for more information on the OBCL Epilepsy Scholarship Awards.
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