How Are We Celebrating Epilepsy Awareness Month and International PURPLE DAY® for Epilepsy Awareness This Year?
Epilepsy affects approximately 1% of the population, which means that there are over 50,000 people living with epilepsy in British Columbia, over 380,000 people living with epilepsy in Canada and over 65 million people living with epilepsy around the world.
It is March, which means that it is Epilepsy Awareness Month in Canada and that International PURPLE DAY® for Epilepsy Awareness is fast approaching on March 26th.
Founded in 2008 by then 9-year-old Cassidy Megan, the purpose of International PURPLE DAY® for Epilepsy Awareness is to show people living with epilepsy in every community around the world that they are not alone and that they matter.Every year on International PURPLE DAY® for Epilepsy Awareness, people in countries all over the world celebrate by wearing purple and participating in events and activities dedicated to raising epilepsy awareness in their communities.
Here are the ways that all of us at the BC Epilepsy Society are celebrating Epilepsy Awareness Month and International PURPLE DAY® for Epilepsy Awareness this year:
Contests:
One way that we are celebrating Epilepsy Awareness Month and International PURPLE DAY® for Epilepsy Awareness this year is through our contests on social media. Please see below for the contests that we are running:
#ShowYourPurple Contest: To enter this contest, all you have to do is post a photo of the “purple” thing you do to celebrate Epilepsy Awareness Month and International PURPLE DAY® for Epilepsy Awareness this year on social media using the hashtag #ShowYourPurple. Don’t forget to tag us on social media so that we can see your amazing photos. We can be found on Twitter at @BCEpilepsy, on Facebook at @BCEpilepsySociety, and on Instagram at @bcepilepsysociety.
Weekly Challenges: To enter these contests, simply visit our social media and do the weekly challenge by following the rules outlined in the post. We can be found on Twitter at @BCEpilepsy, on Facebook at @BCEpilepsySociety, and on Instagram at @bcepilepsysociety. The challenges that have been posted so far include:
- Week One: Post a photo of you in purple clothes
- Week Two: Post a photo of your purple food or drink
- Week Three: Post a photo of your purple artwork
- Week Four: Post a photo of you in purple makeup
Weekly Questions: To enter these contests, simply visit our social media and reply or comment with your answer on our questions. We can be found on Twitter at @BCEpilepsy, on Facebook at @BCEpilepsySociety, and on Instagram at @bcepilepsysociety. The questions that have been posted so far include:
- Week One: Who is your epilepsy hero?
- Week Two: How old were you when you were diagnosed with epilepsy?
- Week Three: What is an epilepsy fact that you didn’t know before?
- Week Four: How are you going to celebrate Purple Day tomorrow?
All contests will end on March 31st, 2022. Entries from each contest will be put into a random draw and a winner of a $25 gift card will be chosen for each contest, so three winners in total will be chosen. Good luck to everyone that enters!
Proclamations:
Another way that we are celebrating Epilepsy Awareness Month and International PURPLE DAY® for Epilepsy Awareness this year is through Purple Day® Proclamations. Several cities, districts, municipalities, towns, and villages in BC have provided us with Proclamations for International PURPLE DAY® for Epilepsy Awareness. We have received Proclamations from the following places:
- Province of British Columbia – View here
- Métis Nation British Columbia – View here
- District of Barriere – View here
- City of Campbell River – View here
- District of Central Saanich – View here
- Village of Chase – View here
- City of Colwood – View here
- Comox Valley Regional District – View here
- City of Courtenay – View here
- Town of Creston – View here
- Township of Esquimalt – View here
- Town of Gibsons – View here
- District of Highlands – View here
- District of Kent – View here
- District of Kitimat – View here
- Town of Ladysmith – View here
- City of Langford – View here
- District of Logan Lake – View here
- City of Nanaimo – View here
- City of New Westminster – View here
- Northern Rockies Regional Municipality – View here
- District of Oak Bay – View here
- City of Port Alberni – View here
- City of Port Coquitlam – View here
- District of Port Hardy – View here
- City of Port Moody – View here
- City of Prince George – View here
- Town of Princeton – View here
- City of Richmond – View here
- District of Saanich – View here
- District of Sooke – View here
- District of Squamish – View here
- City of Surrey – View here
- District of Taylor – View here
- City of Trail – View here
- City of Vancouver – View here
- City of Victoria – View here
- Town of View Royal – View here
- City of Williams Lake – View here
Purple Day Illuminations:
The final way that we are celebrating Epilepsy Awareness Month and International PURPLE DAY® for Epilepsy Awareness this year is through Purple Day® illuminations. Every year on International PURPLE DAY® for Epilepsy Awareness, buildings and landmarks in countries around the world will also light up purple in support of epilepsy awareness.
This year, International PURPLE DAY® for Epilepsy Awareness, many buildings and landmarks in British Columbia will be illuminated purple to help us raise awareness of epilepsy. If you see a building or landmark in your neighborhood that lights up purple this year, please take a photo of it and email it to Sonia at sonia@bcepilepsy.com. You can also post your photo on social media and use the hashtags #ShowYourPurple and #LightUpTheNight but don’t forget to tag us in your photo so that we can see your amazing photos! We can be found on Twitter at @BCEpilepsy, on Facebook at @BCEpilepsySociety, and on Instagram at @bcepilepsysociety.
Please see below for a list of participating buildings and landmarks*:
- Burnaby, BC: Skytrain Pillars at Metrotown Skytrain Station
- Castlegar, BC: Kinnaird Interchange Overpass
- Coquitlam, BC: Lafarge Lake Fountain
- Note: will instead be illuminated on Friday March 25th, 2022
- Coquitlam, BC: Skytrain Guiding Lights and Light Pillar at Pinetree Way
- Dawson Creek, BC: Kiwanis Performing Arts Centre
- Esquimalt, BC: Archie Browning Sports Centre
- Esquimalt, BC: Esquimalt Adventure Park
- Fort St. John, BC: Festival Plaza at Centennial Park
- Granville Island, BC: Heartbeat Light Structure at the Arts + Innovation Hub
- Kelowna, BC: Kelowna Visitor Centre
- Kent, BC: Kent Municipal Hall
- Ladysmith, BC: Ladysmith City Hall
- Ladysmith, BC: Ladysmith Town Sign
- Langley, BC: Douglas Spirit Square
- Mackenzie, BC: Mackenzie Recreation Centre
- Maple Ridge, BC: Maple Ridge City Hall
- Nanaimo, BC: Nanaimo Bastion
- New Westminster, BC: Anvil Centre
- Oliver, BC: Town of Oliver Municipal Hall
- Parksville, BC: Parksville City Hall
- Parksville BC: Parksville Civic & Technology Centre
- Port Coquitlam, BC: Port Coquitlam City Hall
- Note: will instead be illuminated on Friday March 25th, 2022
- Port Hardy, BC: Port Hardy Marquee Sign
- Port Moody, BC: Port Moody City Hall
- Prince George, BC: Mr. PG Statue
- Quesnel, BC: Fraser River Footbridge
- Surrey, BC: Surrey Civic Plaza
- Surrey, BC: The tower crane at University District, by BlueSky Properties, will be lit purple for the entire month of March. Thank you to the construction partner, Axiom Builders, for making this happen!
- Trail, BC: Victoria Street Bridge
- Ucluelet, BC: District of Ucluelet Sign
- Vancouver, BC: Bloedel Conservatory
- Note: will instead be illuminated on Friday March 25th, 2022
- Vancouver, BC: Burrard Street Bridge
- Note: will instead be illuminated on Friday March 25th, 2022
- Vancouver, BC: Canada Place Sails of Light
- Note: will instead be illuminated on Friday March 25th, 2022
- Vancouver, BC: Science World
- Note: will instead be illuminated on Friday March 25th, 2022
- Vancouver, BC: Vancouver City Hall
- Note: will instead be illuminated on Friday March 25th, 2022
- Vancouver, BC: BC Place Stadium
- Vancouver, BC: Harbour Centre Building
- Victoria, BC: Fountain at the BC Parliament Building
- Victoria, BC: Victoria City Hall
- White Rock, BC: Lights at the White Rock Pier
- Whistler, BC: Fitzsimmons Creek Bridge
- Note: will instead be illuminated on Friday March 25th, 2022
- Williams Lake, BC: Williams Lake City Hall
*Please note that all buildings and landmarks will be illuminated purple on March 26th, 2022, unless otherwise specified
Happy Epilepsy Awareness Month and Happy International PURPLE DAY® for Epilepsy Awareness from all of us at the BC Epilepsy Society!