ABOUT PURPLE DAY

Purple Day is a grassroots effort dedicated to increasing awareness about epilepsy worldwide. On Friday 26 March, people from around the globe are asked to wear purple and spread the word about epilepsy.

Purple Day was founded in 2008, by nine-year-old Cassidy Megan of Nova Scotia, Canada. Motivated by her own struggles with epilepsy, Cassidy started Purple Day in an effort to get people talking about the disorder and inform those with seizures that they are not alone. She named the day Purple Day after the internationally recognised colour for epilepsy, lavender.

In 2009, over 100,000 students worldwide wore purple on 26 March! Hundreds of workplaces and organisations (including Epilepsy Queensland) also joined the campaign, wearing purple to work and hosting Purple Day events and promotions.

Epilepsy Queensland is proud to be the official Australian partner of Purple Day and has joined up with other epilepsy organisations from across the globe including Canada, USA, UK and South Africa to make Purple Day 2010 even bigger.

YOU CAN HELP US

You can become involved and help us to increase awareness of epilepsy and raise much needed funds for Epilepsy Queensland. By doing so, your valued fundraising efforts will assist to provide vital services and programs for the 86,000 Queenslanders living with epilepsy.

• Wear purple on 26 March and encourage others to do the same.
• Host a Purple Day awareness party or fundraising event on or before Purple Day.
• Become a Purple Day Hero. In just minutes you can build your own online fundraising page and approach your supporters for a tax deductible donation by emailing a unique link to your own Purple Day webpage. Each donation is recorded on your page along with any message of support from your donors. Please go to www.everydayhero.com.au/event/purpleday.
• Make a tax deductible donation to Epilepsy Queensland's own Purple Day Hero page and leave a message - www.everydayhero.com.au/EQI_Purple_Day.
• Become an official Ambassador of Purple and help promote Purple Day - to apply www.purpleday.org.
• Buy and/or sell our new Purple Day merchandise including purple pens and purple awareness ribbons in the shape of an 'e' for epilepsy.
• Encourage your local community, schools and businesses to get involved by holding a free (purple) dress day in return for a gold coin donation.

CONTACT US NOW!

For further information about Purple Day, promotion materials, how you can get involved and/or to register your interest, please contact our Fundraising and PR Manager, Leigh Gilbert on 07 3435 5000 or email fundraising@epilepsyqueensland.com.au.

Epilepsy Queensland's Purple Day Ambassadors, Heroes, Schools and Workplaces will be added to the official international Purple Day website - so register your interest today!!! 

A MESSAGE FROM CASSIDY

Hi, my name is Cassidy Megan. I'm 10 years old and I have epilepsy. I started Purple Day because I wanted to tell everyone about epilepsy, especially that all seizures are not the same and that people with epilepsy are ordinary people just like everyone else. I also wanted kids with epilepsy to know that they are not alone.

Before I started Purple Day, I was afraid to tell people about my epilepsy because I thought they would make fun of me. After the Epilepsy Association of Nova Scotia, Canada did a presentation in my class, I started to talk with the other kids about my seizures. That is when I decided to become a spokesperson for kids with epilepsy.

Please join me in wearing purple on March 26th to support epilepsy awareness.

Cassidy (2008)

DOWNLOADS

• Poster
• Background information

Please join us in wearing purple on Friday 26 March 2010 to support epilepsy awareness worldwide.