The BC Epilepsy Society

You are invited to the BC Epilepsy Society Annual General Meeting on Tuesday, March 23, 2010. This will be held at the Chan Auditorium at BC Children’s Hospital. The event will start at 6:30 PM.

The meeting will have a brief business component where we will address elections, auditor appointment, finances, and last year’s minutes. We will also have a few announcements.

There will be a social gathering following the presentations where you will have the opportunity to meet with and talk to both the Board of Directors and other members. Refreshments will be available. Please RSVP at 604-875-6704.

Show Your Support

The BC Epilepsy Society brings the voice of our constituency — our members — to community and provincial forums. We also collaborate with other organizations to improve services and to break down the barriers to those living with epilepsy, and their families.

You can support the work of the BC Epilepsy Society by taking out a membership. Membership is $10 for an individual or $50 for an organization. Download the membership form to mail or fax it to us, or call our office at 604-875-6704 to sign up by phone.

Membership benefits include:

• Free admission to our annual lecture series
• Loaning privileges from our resource library
• Receiving our twice-a-year 12-page newsletter
• Eligibility for post-secondary scholarships
• Access to free tickets for recreational events
• Voting privileges at our Annual General Meeting
• Financial subsidies to accessible kids camps

Most importantly, your membership helps us to better advocate on behalf of individuals and families throughout the province who live with the challenges of epilepsy.

Seizure Response Dogs

Special Skills Dogs of Canada currently has 10 spots available on their waiting list for a Seizure Response Dog. This charity is run by the Lions Foundation and is the only certified training program of its kind in Canada.

A Seizure Response Dog is an assistance dog that is trained to react to a person’s physical cues during a seizure (dropping, convulsions, etc) and to get other people’s attention by barking. They can also be trained to activate a Lifeline system to summon emergency help. As well, the dog is also trained to lie quietly beside the person once the seizure is over and to give comfort to the individual who may be fearful or disorientated.

Applicants for the program must be the age of 8 and over, have at least a few epileptic seizures per month, be able to attend a 19 day training course in Oakville, Ontario (all travel and accommodation expenses are covered by the Lions Foundation), have good cognitive awareness, memory and the ability to follow instructions.

To apply, individuals must submit an Application Form and a Medical Form.

More information about the Special Skills Dogs of Canada program is here: http://www.dogguides.com/programs/programs02.htm

More information about Seizure Response and Alert Dogs:
Facts and Frequently Asked Questions about Seizure Response Dog Guides 
BC Epilepsy Society Information Sheet on Seizure Alert and Response Dogs

The BC Epilepsy Society Spring 2010 newsletter will also feature an article about Seizure Response Dogs called, “Sniffing out the Truth,” by Dr. Adam Kirton, a Pediatric Neurologist at Alberta Children’s Hospital.