Preparation: purple – Purple Day 26 March!
Epilepsy Action chief executive, Philip Lee, calls on all readers to get purplicious on the global day for epilepsy awareness – Purple Day! Whether raising money, awareness or simply smiles, find out how you can get involved.
Make a donation to Epilepsy Action
Every donation, no matter how large or small, helps to build a brighter future for people with epilepsy. Thank you for your support.The event can be a lot of fun. Still, among photos of purple wristbands, violet hair and lavender socks, braces and cakes, we also share serious messages about epilepsy. Here are a few ideas on how we can work together again this year to make Purple Day bigger, bolder and purpler than ever before!
Pick up a purple pack
Once again, we are urging everybody to turn their world purple on 26 March! You can do this in any old way you choose – but if you aren’t sure where to start, help is at hand.Your purple fundraising toolkit is available now. It is a comprehensive pack of resources to help you hold all kinds of events and initiatives to celebrate Purple Day. You may want to raise money to help people with epilepsy or simply raise awareness of the condition in the general public. Either way, there are tonnes of ways to do this, including:
- Dressing in purple – Whether you’re in the office, at school or out and about in your local community – get everyone to dress in purple!
- Painting yourself purple – Get sponsored to paint your hair, your face or even your moustache
- Having a cake sale – Everyone loves cake. Why not organise a purple bake-off and sell your delicious wares to family and friends or colleagues?
Meanwhile, why not show your support for Epilepsy Action by wearing a Purple Day wristband (pictured)? This helps raise awareness and can be a talking point – to help you broach the issue and openly discuss epilepsy.Visit Epilepsy Action’s Purple Day web page where, you can register for Your purple fundraising toolkit or follow links to buy a wristband in the online shop. Remember: whatever you decide to do, make sure you do it purple!
Help us ask: What does epilepsy look like?
Epilepsy is often referred to as the ‘hidden condition’. This is because, unless someone sees you having a seizure, they often have no idea that you have epilepsy! This often means that some people have very little understanding of what epilepsy really is. Or, that there are over 40 different types of epilepsy and types of seizure. Or, that it can affect everyone differently.We need your help to change this. Last year, we began opening the eyes of the general public, with the help of our supporters, Megan, George, Charlea and Ruth. In a new campaign, we asked the general public: What does epilepsy look like?
The responses were amazing – and one year on, we are looking for people just like you to join us and tell your story. All you need to do is share a photo or image and tell us about your life with epilepsy. If you want to get involved and help challenge epilepsy misconceptions, email campaigns@epilepsy.org now!
Purple Day: literally a landmark event
Is there a landmark or venue in your area that would really attract attention if it was purple? There might be a special building or fountain, local town hall, council chambers, shopping centre or entertainment arena. You might even want to see your local sports team all in purple.Why not help us turn the UK purple for 24 hours? Last year, venues across the UK all lit up purple on 26 March to raise awareness of epilepsy. These included London King’s Cross mainline station, The Blackpool Tower and Leeds’ First Direct arena. This year, we hope that we can do even better – but we need your help!
We have a letter that we would like you to send or email to the owner/manager of your local landmark, requesting their support on 26 March 2015. You can get a copy of the Purple Day landmark letter on Epilepsy Action’s Purple Day webpage.
Please remember to let us know how you get on – especially if your local landmark is going purple! Just let us know the landmark and its location by emailing campaigns@epilepsy.org
Support Purple Day
If you’re struggling for inspiration, there are three simple ways you get help get people talking about epilepsy this Purple Day!- Download and print off Epilepsy Action’s awareness-raising poster from Epilepsy Action's . Then, simply find somewhere to put it for all to see. You might display it in your bedroom window or on your noticeboard at work. You might ask someone in your local library, GP surgery or community centre to display the poster for at least one day
- Follow Epilepsy Action on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest and tell us about everything you are doing to celebrate Purple Day
- Remember to share all Epilepsy Action’s What does epilepsy look like? stories on Purple Day. You will find them on the organisation’s Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest accounts and our website. Please re-tweet, like and share them all – so that we can reach as many people as possible.
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What does your epilepsy look like?
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Go Purple on 26 March each year and help spread awareness of epilepsy
Purple Day is a grassroots effort dedicated to increasing awareness about epilepsy worldwide. On 26 March each year, people from around the globe are asked to spread the word about epilepsy by wearing purple.Founded in 2008 by then nine-year-old Cassidy Megan of Nova Scotia, Canada, Cassidy started Purple Day in an effort to get people talking about the disorder and inform those with seizures that they are not alone. Cassidy named the day ‘Purple Day’ after the internationally recognised colour for epilepsy - lavender.
Epilepsy Australia is the official Australian partner of Purple Day and has joined up with other epilepsy organizations from across the globe including Canada, USA, UK and South Africa to make Purple Day even bigger. The Epilepsy Foundation is the Victorian member of Epilepsy Australia and is proud to have the official role of promoting Purple Day here in Victoria.
Get involved and go purple!
Check out our 26 Days 26 Ways to make a difference campiagn. For the 26 days that lead up to International Purple Day for Epilepsy we have created a list of 26 ways that you can be involved.So get involved, help us increase awareness of epilepsy and raise funds. By doing so, your valued fundraising efforts will assist us to provide vital services and programs for the 220,000 Victorians who will have epilepsy during their lifetime.
Here are a few ‘Purple Day’ ideas to get you started:
- Wear purple on 26 March and encourage your family, friends and colleagues to join you
- Register for a Purple Day Information Kit for you, your workplace or school (email Emma Moore for your copy today)
- Host a Purple Day party or fundraising event on or before Purple Day
- Become a Purple Day Hero - create your own fundraising page, set a goal and approach those you know for a tax deductible donation.
- Become an official Ambassador of Purple and help promote Purple Day - email Emma purple@epilepsy.asn.au
- Buy and/or sell our new Purple Day merchandise including our purple pens, purple awareness ribbons and our purple badges in the shape of an 'e' for epilepsy
- Encourage your local community, schools and businesses to get involved by holding a purple dress day in return for a gold coin donation
A message from Cassidy Megan - Founder of Purple Day
Hi, my name is Cassidy Megan. I'm 10 years old and I have epilepsy. I started Purple Day because I wanted to tell everyone about epilepsy, especially that all seizures are not the same and that people with epilepsy are ordinary people just like everyone else. I also wanted kids with epilepsy to know that they are not alone.Before I started Purple Day, I was afraid to tell people about my epilepsy because I thought they would make fun of me. After the Epilepsy Association of Nova Scotia, Canada, did a presentation in my class, I started to talk with the other kids about my seizures. That is when I decided to become a spokesperson for kids with epilepsy.
Please join me in wearing purple on March 26th to support epilepsy awareness.
Cassidy (2008)
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