Cassidy Megan, Founder of Purple Day
Media Release
First official Purple Day in Canada brings
epilepsy awareness to Parliament Hill
La première Journée lavande officielle au Canada vise
à sensibiliser la Colline du Parlement à l’épilepsie
Purple Day™ – The Global Day of Epilepsy Awareness
Purple Day is an international grassroots effort dedicated to increasing awareness about epilepsy worldwide. On March 26th annually, people in countries around the world are invited to wear purple and host events in support of epilepsy awareness. Last year, people in dozens of countries on all continents including Antarctica participated in Purple Day! Our list of Partner Organizations from around the world is also growing!
Check out the NEW Purple Day Collage with photos from around the globe. You can also check out our NEW Purple Day Poster Collage to see a sampling of posters from Purple Day events held worldwide.
Help Promote Epilepsy Awareness in Your Community!
Wear purple on March 26 and encourage others to do the same. Host a Purple Day party or fundraising event at your home, school or workplace. And most importantly, get real facts about epilepsy by browsing this site and those of our partners.
Become an Ambassador
Ready to start raising awareness in your hometown? Apply to become an Ambassador of Purple in your region. Then, deck yourself out in purple and start educating your friends, family, and even your local politicians about epilepsy and seizures.
Wearing Purple? Hosting an Event? Let Us Know!
Is your school, workplace or community group going purple? We want to hear from you! Complete our Participant Listing Form to have your organization added to our 2013 Participants List. Have an event you'd like added to our Event Listings page? Just fill in our Event Listing Form.
For event ideas and other ways to get involved, please visit our Join the Campaign page. You can also check out the complete list of Purple Day 2012 Participants as well as Purple Day 2012 Media Coverage from around the world..
Why Get Involved?
Epilepsy affects over 65 million people worldwide. That's more than multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy and Parkinson's disease combined.
How Did Purple Day Start?
Purple Day was founded in 2008, by nine-year-old Cassidy Megan of Nova Scotia, Canada, with the help of the Epilepsy Association of Nova Scotia (EANS). Cassidy chose the colour purple after the international colour for epilepsy, lavender. The lavender flower is also often associated with solitude, which is representative of the feelings of isolation many people affected by epilepsy and seizure disorders often feel. Cassidy's goal is for people with epilepsy everywhere to know they are not alone. To learn more about Cassidy and Global Purple Day Partners EANS and The Anita Kaufmann Foundation (AKFUS), please visit the About Us page.
Epilepsy Association of Nova Scotia & The Anita Kaufmann Foundation
As global sponsors of Purple Day, we are committed to partnering with individuals and agencies around the world to promote epilepsy awareness. To date, the combined efforts of AKFUS and EANS have lead to the involvement of numerous organizations, schools, businesses, political figures and celebrities in countries around the world. Join us in wearing purple March 26, 2012 and please consider making a donation or fundraising on behalf of our global team.
Cassidy's Message for 2013
We are working hard on Purple Day 2013 and I am excited to share some exciting news with you. In Canada, the federal Parliament passed the Purple Day Act and it has received Royal Assent. This means that March 26th is now officially recognized by law as Purple Day for epilepsy awareness in Canada. I would like to say thank you Mr. Geoff Regan and all the members of Parliament for supporting people with epilepsy and Purple Day. You can find a copy of the Purple Day Act on the Canadian Department of Justice website by selecting Purple Day Act (English) or Purple Day Act (French).
But I have so much more to tell you! Read the full message here...
Purple Day Slideshow
Thank you to all our dedicated Ambassadors of Purple, Purple Day Partners and Purple Day participants for promoting epilepsy awareness and sharing your Purple Day photos. You’ve made Cassidy's dream for a global day of epilepsy awareness come true.
ABOUT OUR SPONSORS:
Epilepsy Association of Nova Scotia
Offering epilepsy education to schools and workplaces; scholarships, bursaries & grants; and recreational programs and activities. Learn more.
The Anita Kaufmann Foundation
Offering epilepsy education and seizure first aid training to schools and workplaces; information and programs for veterans with traumatic brain injury and epilepsy; and epilepsy materials for distribution. Learn more.
NEWS UPDATES
Canada now has a law in support of Epilepsy Awareness called the
Purple Day Act.
Cassidy Megan, founder of Purple Day and member of the Epilepsy Assocation of Nova Scotia, founding Agency for Purple Day, will be receiving the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal on November 12, 2012 in Halifax. Hon. Geoff Regan, MP for Halifax West, who wrote the Purple Day Act, will be presenting the medals. Way to go Cassidy!
View the Official Press Release.
2012 Purple Day Materials
FREE DOWNLOAD
La journée lavande pour l'épilepsie
Watch 2012 TV Coverage in QC, Canada!
Cassidy Megan presents Flowers to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in Nova Scotia, Canada - June 2010
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