Epilepsy Foundation of Greater Los Angeles Announces Third Annual Brain Storm Summit

The Epilepsy Foundation of Greater Los Angeles announced today that it will host its third annual Brain Storm Summit on November 11-12 at the Cathedral Plaza Conference Center in downtown Los Angeles. This year’s summit, whose theme is “Confronting the Neglected Issues in Epilepsy”, will cover ongoing themes in epilepsy as well as often overlooked topics, such as learning disorders, the psychological and psychiatric affects of epilepsy, mood disorders and depression, parenting and surgery.

“Until a cure for this disease is found, it is crucial for our foundation to connect health and community organizations with those affected by epilepsy in order to ensure that the most up-to-date information and research is shared,” said Susan Pietsch-Escueta, the executive director of the Epilepsy Foundation of Greater Los Angeles. “For the past two years, the Brain Storm Summit has proven immensely successful in building that bridge; and this year’s summit, with its focus on neglected issues, promises to strengthen those ties further.”

Despite its prevalence, epilepsy remains one of the least understood neurological diseases. Thirty to forty percent of people with epilepsy continue to have seizures despite treatment; and yet, their seizures are only part of the challenges they face. In a recent nationwide survey of people with epilepsy, 54% of the respondents who were still in school reported that epilepsy had a negative impact on their academic performance, citing difficulties with memory, thinking, concentration, language, problem-solving and more. Furthermore, pregnant women with epilepsy face a double-edged sword as both seizures and the drugs taken to prevent them may negatively affect their developing child. The association between epilepsy and depression is also especially strong. More than one of every three persons with epilepsy are also affected by this mood disorder, and people with a history of depression have a three to seven times higher risk of developing epilepsy. This year’s Brain Storm Summit will focus more attention on these and other neglected issues, and provide information that may help in dealing with them.

The Brain Storm Summit III is a collaborative conference of the Epilepsy Foundation of Greater Los Angeles, the Charlie Foundation, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, the Westside Regional Center and various epilepsy centers and private practice groups in the Los Angeles region. The conference will feature national and local speakers in a two-day program that begins at 1 p.m. on Friday, November 11, 2005. The two general sessions on Friday are designed for school nurses, first responders and those newly diagnosed with epilepsy. Saturday is designed for those with epilepsy and their parents, partners, spouses, friends and relatives. It is divided into four separate workshops covering a range of topics, from ongoing discussions about epilepsy – the Ketogenic Diet, driving and epilepsy, employment and epilepsy - to new topics of discussion, including learning disorders, psychological and psychiatric issues, mood disorders and depression, parenting, special therapies, working with epilepsy, women’s issues, stem cell research and surgery. There will also be an all Spanish-speaking workshop on November 12 covering many of the same topics.

Advanced registration by Monday, November 6, 2005 is strongly recommended. Prior to November 6th, the Friday seminar fee is $10 and the Saturday basic conference fee is $20. The fee will help to cover refreshments, syllabus materials and parking. For detailed information and to register, visit www.epilepsy-socalif.org or call (800) 564-0445.

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About Epilepsy
When a person has two or more unprovoked seizures, they have epilepsy. There are over 20 types of seizures and 40 epilepsy syndromes affecting approximately 2.7 million people in the U.S. and 50 million people worldwide. This year, another 200,000 people in our country will be diagnosed; an estimated 25,000 to 50,000 will die of seizures and related causes. To date, there is no known cure.

About the Epilepsy Foundation of Greater Los Angeles
Established in 1957, the Epilepsy Foundation of Greater Los Angeles is the only non-profit, 501(c)(3) charitable organization dedicated solely to serving the estimated 140,000 people living with epilepsy in this region. Our mission is to improve the lives of people affected by epilepsy by promoting care, prevention, research and cure through education, support services, programs, advocacy and awareness. The Epilepsy Foundation of Greater Los Angeles is affiliated with the Epilepsy Foundation of America in Landover, Maryland.