SUDEP Action Day is October 23rd!

SUDEP Action Day, held annually on October 23rd of every year, is a day that brings much-needed attention to the dire medical issue of Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy (SUDEP). Epilepsy is associated with risks, which, if left unchecked, can have very serious consequences, including increased rates of SUDEP. All of us at the BC Epilepsy Society are celebrating SUDEP Action Day this year because it is important to raise awareness of SUDEP and take action to reduce the rates of SUDEP.

Many people are lost to SUDEP and epilepsy-related deaths every year. In fact, just a few short months ago, we lost actor Cameron Boyce to SUDEP, so on behalf of him and every other individual who was lost to SUDEP, let us pledge to raise awareness of SUDEP and work towards eliminating SUDEP.

The theme of SUDEP Action Day this year is #5forEpilepsySafety, so keep reading this blog to find our 5 tips to prevent your risk of SUDEP!

• Tip One: Comply to Treatment Protocols: Your risk of SUDEP increases if your seizures are not under control. Therefore, it is important to take your medications on time and as prescribed to you by your doctor and comply to any treatment protocols as set out by your doctor to keep your seizures under control as much as possible.
• Tip Two: Use a Seizure Alert Device: Seizure alert devices give your loved ones peace of mind as they know that they will be notified immediately if you have a seizure and will be able to assist you. You can learn more about seizure alert devices here. Additionally, through a partnership that the BC Epilepsy Society has with the company Empatica, we are able to provide a discount code for the Embrace2, which is a seizure detection device. For more information on this, please email Sonia at sonia@bcepilepsy.com.
• Tip Three: Stay Safe: Everyone experiences risks in daily life, and this only increases for people with epilepsy. Please click here for more information on how to stay safe with epilepsy. Additionally, you can use safety devices, such as seizure monitors, head protection, medication reminders, medical identification and other such devices to help you keep safe. Find out more about safety devices here.
• Tip Four: Keep Track of Your Seizures: It can be helpful for you to keep track of any seizures that occur so that your doctor can see if any changes in your care or treatment are required. Please click here for more information on seizure recording forms.
• Tip Five: Avoid Seizure Triggers: It is important for you to try your hardest to avoid things that you know can trigger your seizures. For example, if you have photosensitive epilepsy, you shouldn’t go to places that have strobe lights or flickering/flashing lights. You can also do things like getting enough sleep, avoiding alcohol/drugs and reducing stress. Please click here for more information on seizure triggers.

If you have lost a loved one to SUDEP, we invite you to share their photo and name on social media using the hashtags #SUDEPActionDay2019 and #BCESRemembers and tag the BC Epilepsy Society in your post so that we may keep their memory alive and raise awareness of SUDEP.

We hope that everyone gets involved with SUDEP Action Day this year! Learn more about SUDEP Action Day here.