Category Archive

Epilepsy in Children

Agency works with media to bring supports to family of boy with epilepsy

August 18, 2016

By Deron Hamel Epilepsy Halton Peel Hamilton communications manager Trevor Gordon was scanning online news stories in May when he came across a Global News article about a Mississauga family who was trying to find supports for the 5-year-old boy they had adopted who is living with epilepsy. In May, Rosy Garcia and Andres Sosa…

Epilepsy Ontario retreat focuses on helping agencies build capacity

June 16, 2016

A recent retreat hosted by Epilepsy Ontario for community-based epilepsy agencies was aimed at building knowledge capacity for executive directors and staff members throughout the province. The retreat, which was funded by the Trillium Foundation of Ontario and held June 6-8 in Innisfil, Ont., brought together representatives from 11 of the 14 agencies Epilepsy Ontario…

Gov’t needs to take a proactive response to stem drug shortages: Epilepsy Ontario

May 19, 2016

By Deron Hamel One of the greatest frustrations Epilepsy Ontario deals with during shortages of seizure-control medications is when impending drug shortages are identified but Health Canada and the provincial drug programs do nothing to try to prevent them, says Suzanne Nurse. Nurse, Epilepsy Ontario’s director of information and client services, says that 2016 has…

Divalproex sodium shortage expected to end soon, but that doesn’t curb family’s anxiety

March 17, 2016

By Deron Hamel Although a multifaceted effort is underway to end a  severe  shortage of divalproex sodium (Epival), a commonly used anti-seizure drug, the anxiety created by the limited amount of the lifesaving medication lingers, says Lynda Bowyer. Bowyer, whose 21-year-old daughter takes Epival to control her seizures, says this is the first time her…