Mr. Speaker, today is Purple Day, a day dedicated to increasing awareness about epilepsy.
Each year over 15,000 Canadians are diagnosed with epilepsy, but due to the stigma surrounding it many people are reluctant to seek care. That is one of the reasons why a good friend of ours, Nova Scotia's Cassidy Megan, created Purple Day, to help people with epilepsy know that they are not alone and to help others understand more about the disorder.
Now, due to Cassidy's hard work, over 100 countries celebrate Purple Day and everyone can show their support by wearing purple every March 26.
I would like to finish by reading this quote from Cassidy Megan:
Epilepsy is a part of you but it doesn’t define you. Everybody has a voice, continue to use yours to speak out and spread awareness for epilepsy. Don’t fear it, own it and tell your story. Together we are erasing the stigma of epilepsy.