The Epilepsy Foundation is a large Australian

charity Charity may refer to: Giving * Charitable organization or charity, a non-profit organization whose primary objectives are philanthropy and social well-being of persons * Charity (practice), the practice of being benevolent, giving and sharing * C ...

, headquartered in Surrey Hills, Victoria, which provides evidence-based programs to support to people living with

epilepsy Epilepsy is a group of non-communicable neurological disorders characterized by recurrent epileptic seizures. Epileptic seizures can vary from brief and nearly undetectable periods to long periods of vigorous shaking due to abnormal electrica ...

, and all those who care for them. Epilepsy Foundation programs are delivered nationally through the Epilepsy Australia network of service delivery partners. The Epilepsy Foundation delivers services directly in

New South Wales ) , nickname = , image_map = New South Wales in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of New South Wales in AustraliaCoordinates: , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , es ...

and

Victoria Victoria most commonly refers to: * Victoria (Australia), a state of the Commonwealth of Australia * Victoria, British Columbia, provincial capital of British Columbia, Canada * Victoria (mythology), Roman goddess of Victory * Victoria, Seychelle ...

. The Epilepsy Foundation aims to stop avoidable deaths, ensure children get a good education, help people get and keep their jobs and help people feel safe and connected. The Epilepsy Foundation works to ensure that "no one with epilepsy goes it alone".

History

The foundation was formed in 1964 by a group of concerned parents to provide support and information to all Victorians affected by epilepsy. Initially called the Victorian Bureau for Epilepsy, one of the priorities was accommodation following the closure in 1963 of what was known as the Talbot Colony for Epileptics. The organisation's name changed to the Epilepsy Foundation of Victoria in 1978 and the next few years saw its continued rapid development including the appointment of a consultant

medical officer A physician (American English), medical practitioner (Commonwealth English), medical doctor, or simply doctor, is a health professional who practices medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring health through th ...

and the establishment of a medical advisory panel. In 2016, the name was subsequently changed to the Epilepsy Foundation.

Today

The

develops policies regarding epilepsy in schools, engages in advocacy and provides funding for academic/clinical research. The organisation forms part of Epilepsy Australia, a coalition of national and local epilepsy charities across Australia. In 2020, the

Australian Government The Australian Government, also known as the Commonwealth Government, is the national government of Australia, a federal parliamentary constitutional monarchy. Like other Westminster-style systems of government, the Australian Government ...

provided funding to the Epilepsy Foundation to develop a new program titled Epilepsy Smart Australia. The program aims to reduce the chronic health impacts experienced by Australians of all ages living with epilepsy. The Epilepsy Foundation is a registered

National Disability Insurance Scheme The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) is a scheme of the Australian Government that funds costs associated with disability. The scheme was legislated in 2013 and went into full operation in 2020. The scheme is administered by the Na ...

(NDIS) Support provider. The Epilepsy Foundation has established the Australian Epilepsy Research Register and conducted five waves of research into the impacts of epilepsy on people’s lives. The Epilepsy Foundation has also established a peer-reviewed grants program the Australian Epilepsy Research Fund. With a seeding investment of $2 million from the Australian Government, the Australian Epilepsy Research Fund was developed with the hope of finding a cure through research. The first project to be awarded funding from the Australian Epilepsy Research Fund is the Florey SYNGAP-1 Gene Project.

References

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External links

Official website
Epilepsy organizations Medical and health organisations based in Victoria (Australia) Health charities in Australia Disability organisations based in Australia