Madam Speaker, I am pleased to rise today to support Bill C-278, which promotes awareness about epilepsy.
I would like to commend and thank the member for Halifax West who brought this bill forward. He probably had a dozen other choices that he could have debated in a private member's bill or motion, but he chose this issue because he felt it was important. I commend him for that.
Bill C-278 seeks to establish March 26 each year in Canada as Purple Day. As part of Purple Day, Canadians would be encouraged to wear something purple to indicate their support for people living with epilepsy. By supporting Bill C-278, we can show our dedication to raising awareness of epilepsy, which would lead to a greater acceptance and understanding of this condition. This increase in information and awareness could lead, and often does lead, to greater action taken by governments, by individuals, by society in general to help make life just a bit better for those with a certain condition, in this case, epilepsy.
I tabled a motion, and the second hour of debate on it is coming up, which deals with making more information available for those who are in the advanced stages of MS, multiple sclerosis, and are considering whether to go somewhere to have the so-called liberation therapy treatment. Because it is not available in Canada, my motion seeks to provide information about other places people could go to have this treatment and to provide information about what the process involves.
One of the benefits of my motion, perhaps its greatest benefit, would be to raise awareness, as the member's private member's bill raises awareness, and to garner support and in the end, help make people's lives a bit easier. I commend the member for that.
Credit for Purple Day and this bill is owed to a special young Canadian. Her noble efforts should be applauded. Cassidy Megan, a young girl from Nova Scotia, was seven years old when she had her first epileptic attack. Her own questions and struggles with this condition led her to suggest that countries worldwide should take steps to recognize the many challenges of living with epilepsy.
As a way of doing this, Cassidy came up with the idea of Purple Day. The choice of the colour purple has a broad significance. The lavender flower, representing purple on the colour spectrum, is internationally recognized as the symbol of epilepsy. It represents the feelings of isolation that many people affected with epilepsy and seizure disorders often feel.
I can say very honestly that I know very little about epilepsy. That is part of the reason I commend the member for bringing this bill forward, in that I have learned a little. However, I know about having a child who has lived with a lot of isolation because of a condition that the child is living with.
Our youngest daughter was born with a moderate hearing impairment. All through her life in many situations she simply did not know what was going on around her. Even in a crowd she was isolated because she just did not know. Our daughter never complained about that. She never let it hold her back. She became an engineer. She has a great job. She got married last summer. She is doing very well in spite of this condition. However, as a parent, seeing the isolation and the pain that this caused her certainly has led me to understand the importance of trying to help those who have conditions that really do make them feel isolated.
I believe that the greater understanding brought about because of this bill will, through understanding and acceptance, lead to a little less isolation on the part of people suffering from epilepsy.
Back to Cassidy and epilepsy. Cassidy's motivation for starting Purple Day is inspiring and her own personal story is making an impact. For instance, the Canadian Epilepsy Association is now working to have Purple Day endorsed by the World Health Organization and the United Nations.
Purple Day is a way to get people to talk about epilepsy. We must do all we can to recognize this condition and raise awareness of its associated challenges. By doing so, we are letting people living with epilepsy know that they are really not alone.
For anyone unfamiliar with epilepsy, let me take a few moments to explain what it is and why it needs our attention.
Epilepsy is one of the most common chronic neurological conditions in Canada. Epilepsy affects more than 50 million Canadians worldwide. In Canada, nearly 190,000 people live with epilepsy. This number grows by more than 50,000 every year. The World Health Organization has declared that epilepsy is the most common serious brain disorder globally.
One of the hallmarks of this disease is the brief recurring seizures experienced by epileptics. These mild to severe seizures often occur when nerve cells or neurons in the brain send out the wrong signals. When having a seizure, an epileptic may have violent muscle spasms or lose consciousness. Due to the perceived stigma associated with epilepsy, many with the disorder are reluctant to report having it or to seek treatment, so the number of those affected may be even higher than the reported numbers.
The most common known causes of epilepsy result from injuries resulting from a brain tumour, head trauma, substance abuse or serious infection. However, in more than half of all epileptic cases, the cause simply remains unknown. That said, many Canadians living with epilepsy enjoy productive lives, but living with this condition still presents challenges for patients, their families and for society.
Some of these challenges include physical hazards related to unpredictable seizures, social exclusion and other forms of stigma. It can also affect participation in key aspects of life, including communities, schools, employment and leisure. Raising awareness about epilepsy is part of confronting the condition and its challenges.
By supporting this bill and enshrining Purple Day into law, we build on initiatives already in place to enhance the understanding of epilepsy in Canada. For example, March is recognized as National Epilepsy Month. In March Canadians are encouraged to learn more about epilepsy and to help foster a national focus on a discussion of the condition.
In addition, the Government of Canada works in tandem with its key partners to help us better prepare to meet the needs of those living with neurological conditions, including epilepsy. Furthermore, I am pleased to say that the Government of Canada has invested $15 million over four years in a national population study of neurological conditions, working with major neurological health charities in Canada.
Raising awareness about epilepsy is exactly what Bill C-278 is all about and I have talked about why that is important.
On a final note, I would like to close with some words from Cassidy Megan. As Cassidy said in a recent public message:
I started Purple Day because when I first found out that I had epilepsy I was afraid and embarrassed of what other people would think. I also thought I was the only kid in the world with epilepsy. I wanted to have one day where everyone in the world could show support for people with epilepsy and teach people about epilepsy.
Educating people about epilepsy is so important because people need to know what to do if they see someone having a seizure and they need to know that there are different types of seizures...
I would like to commend Cassidy Megan and the member for Halifax West for what they have done to help with awareness and to make things just a little better for people with epilepsy.
