By Donna Campbell

Epilepsy Alliance America provides support, care, and service to those with epilepsy, their families, caregivers, and communities. This growing national organization is a consortium of like-minded local, regional, statewide, and even other national agencies dedicated to serving the needs of people who live with seizures and epilepsy every day.

Epilepsy is a neurological disorder characterized by recurrent seizures. When a person has had two or more unprovoked seizures more than 24 hours apart, they are considered to have epilepsy. A person can also be diagnosed with epilepsy if they have one or more unprovoked seizures and a probability of future seizures.

EAA promotes independence and quality of life for people with epilepsy.

The non-profit was founded in 2018 by eight leading grassroots epilepsy organizations that are unified in their mission to provide direct support to people with epilepsy and the people who care for them. The founding member organizations of Epilepsy Alliance America include Epilepsy Alliance Florida, Epilepsy Alliance Louisiana, Epilepsy Alliance North Carolina, Epilepsy Alliance Ohio, Epilepsy Alliance West Central New York, Epilepsy Association of Western and Central Pennsylvania, Epilepsy Services of New Jersey and the Puerto Rican Epilepsy Society.

These member organizations, as well as others who have joined in the past six years, have been collectively supporting people with epilepsy for decades through support services, information, education, advocacy, and public awareness. As a result, the Alliance provides real epilepsy help to approximately 1 million Americans living with epilepsy by confronting the spectrum of challenges created by seizures.

“EAA’s founding member organizations are elevating daily service levels and have developed a platform for sharing resources, best practices, and information that can be tailored to meet the individualized needs of each community,” H. Davis Cole, the EAA’s first board chairman, said at the organizations first anniversary.

Epilepsy is considered one of the most prevalent neurological disorders globally.

  • 1 in 26 Americans will develop epilepsy in their lifetime.
  • An estimated 3.4 million Americans and 65 million people worldwide currently live with epilepsy.
  • Each year, more than 150,000 people are diagnosed with epilepsy.
  • Per the CDC, 456,000 children in the United States, 17 and younger, have active epilepsy.
  • Epilepsy is the fourth most common neurological disorder.
  • Epilepsy affects more people than multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy, Parkinson’s disease, and ALS combined.

Through the Epilepsy Alliance of America, those affected by epilepsy can access camp programs, individual and family consultation, medical assistance, seizure first aid training, support groups, community education, information and referrals, networking and social events, seizure movement monitor assistance, telephone support, employment assistance, legislative advocacy, residential services, and special education advocacy.

For more information on how to get involved with local and national efforts with the Alliance, visit www.epilepsyallianceamerica.org or call 800-642-0500.