Category Archive

Voices of Epilepsy

Mandatory drug-shortage reporting a good start, but don’t stop there: Daryl Yeo

February 26, 2015

Daryl Yeo recalls the day in January 2013 when he learned of a clobazam shortage from an Epilepsy Ontario newsletter and had to contact his daughter, Lindsay, to ensure she had enough of the medication. Lindsay, who lives with epilepsy, contacted her pharmacy only to learn it had run out of clobazam, which sent her…

Amherstburg mother a true champion of epilepsy awareness

February 19, 2015

Deanna Sinasac has worked tirelessly to raise epilepsy awareness in Amherstburg, Ont., especially among students and staff at her daughter’s primary school. Her daughter, Alexis, is a Grade 4 student at Amherstburg Public School. She also has epilepsy. But because of her mother’s efforts to raise epilepsy awareness at the school, staff and students have…

Pharma companies will be federally mandated to report drug shortages

February 12, 2015

The federal government announced Feb. 10 that Canadian pharmaceutical companies must post all actual and anticipated medication shortages in coming months, a move that is welcomed by the epilepsy advocacy community. Drug shortages have affected the epilepsy community in recent years. In January 2013, it was announced that clobazam, an anticonvulsant medication, was in short…

Surgery helps Steve Rutledge celebrate 25 years of being seizure-free

February 5, 2015

By Deron Hamel Sept. 4, 1990 is a day that’s etched into Steve Rutledge’s memory. This was the day Rutledge received neurosurgery to address his epilepsy. It was a day that proved to be a turning point in the life of the father of three who had, until then, lived with epilepsy for more than…