With fall knocking on our door, it’s time to reflect on a very busy summer and look towards the future.
Summer is always my favorite time of year for the Epilepsy Foundation of Michigan. Again this year, we held four fantastic Summer Strolls; Midland, Grand Rapids, Detroit and Kalamazoo. We had more participation than ever from great people around the state. It’s always so motivating and encouraging for me to attend these events and re-connect with old friends and also meet some new ones who support our mission! The epilepsy community continues to unite.
Camp Discovery was again a splendid success! 72 campers spent five days running, jumping, swimming, climbing, creating and exploring. Kids got to be…kids, and yes they all have epilepsy. We marvel each year at how much everyone gets out of camp, from the campers to the more than 50 staffers, mainly volunteers. Camp has truly become one of our great success stories.
Fall 2010 will bring our second annual Toasting Hope Event, set for October 28. What strikes me as so unique about this event is the number of people in attendance who we can teach about epilepsy. So many attended our inaugural event last fall and they were anxious for the opportunity to learn more about epilepsy and how they could further support the Foundation.
Our Learn & Share conference calls will continue each month, and we are always looking for new and intriguing topics. As the epilepsy world continues to ‘Talk About It’, we are part of this move and we want to make sure you stay informed and able to get the programming and the support you need.
Wellness in general has become a very important topic in the epilepsy community. Most recently, policy makers and advocates have been concerned that people with chronic diseases like epilepsy, are not encouraged to develop good health habits. We thought carefully about this and decided it’s time to put a keen focus on wellness as it relates to epilepsy. The Epilepsy Foundation of Michigan decided to focus its fall conference on wellness. This regional conference, Wellness and Epilepsy, is scheduled for November 12-13, 2010 at the Rock Financial Showplace in Novi.
Friday night features an appearance and presentation by “Mighty Mike” Simmel, an athlete with epilepsy and team member of the Harlem Wizards. Really, there is no one better to speak on how to take care of yourself while you live with some of the effects of epilepsy, than “Mighty Mike”. Friday night will also feature a health fair and a chance to network. Discussion topics on Saturday include current treatments, complementary treatments, stress management, adopting healthy behaviors including exercise, healthy eating, and sleep. This should be an incredibly informative and very special two days.
We hope you enjoy the remainder of the summer, and know that we continue to plan programs and events that both unite the epilepsy community and teach the public more about epilepsy. We are grateful for your participation and support, and we know that together, we can make a difference.
All the best,
