Local Office Spotlight: Epilepsy Foundation Greater Chicago

In a new epilepsy.com monthly feature, "Local Office Spotlight," we talk about some of the great work that is going on at local Epilepsy Foundations across the United States. This month, we shine the spotlight on the Epilepsy Foundation Greater Chicago and their work with the Seizures and You: Take Charge of the Facts program.

Ayesha Akhtar speaks at a school in Chicago

Seizures and You: Take Charge of the Facts is an educational program for middle and high school students, developed with funding from the Epilepsy Foundation’s partnership with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The program aims to reduce stigma and improve seizure first aid by educating teens and raising awareness about the challenges faced by a young person with epilepsy.

Spreading Awareness to Over 700 Students

Recently, staffers from the Epilepsy Foundation Greater Chicago, Ayesha Akhtar and Courtney Bruner, reached over 700 students through a partnership with the Barrington, IL, school district. Through a long-standing partnership with the health teachers in the community, Foundation staff takes advantage of the fact that the health program in the schools rotates every three weeks. This rotation guarantees that by the end of the school year, every single student in the designated grade has participated in the program.

The program has been well received, with the following comments from students and teachers:

"They always appear very comfortable with the students. They are always age appropriate and very knowledgeable," said a teacher from Barrington Prairie Middle School.

"I always thought seizures were emergencies and were scary," said a student from Barrington Prairie Middle School.

Find a Local Program Near You

The Epilepsy Foundation Greater Chicago has other programs available as well for people affected by epilepsy of all ages. For more information, visit their website. If you’d like to connect to your local Foundation and learn about their programs, visit epilepsy.com/affiliates. 

Find more information on how to bring the Take Charge program to your local school.

Thank you, Epilepsy Foundation Greater Chicago, for your continued efforts in promoting awareness through the Seizures and You: Take Charge of the Facts program, and for all you do in the community each day!

Look for our next Local Office Spotlight in May when we will shine the spotlight on another local Foundation and the great work they are doing in a community near you.