November is National Epilepsy Awareness Month and Governor Mike Beebe has proclaimed November as Arkansas Epilepsy Awareness Month. A press conference was held Thursday, November 6, 2008, at the State Capital. Dr. Gregory Sharp of Arkansas Children’s Hospital Neurology and Marcia Harding, Associate Director of Special Education for the Arkansas Department of Education (ADE) were guest speakers at the event. Schools across the state are encouraged to commit one hour during November to epilepsy education and awareness in each classroom from Kindergarten through twelfth grade.
Parents Educating Arkansas about Children with Epilepsy (PEACE) is working to bring awareness and education to Arkansas. In an effort to educate children about epilepsy, the Epilepsy Foundation has created a program for teachers to help bring epilepsy awareness and education into the classroom. This program material can be found on the Epilepsy Foundation website www.epilepsyclassroom.com . More information about epilepsy awareness can be found on the PEACE website at www.peaceinark.com.
Arkansas Educational Television Network (AETN) is joining the epilepsy awareness effort and will air a program entitled ”Healthy Body Healthy Mind: Epilepsy” on Sunday November 23rd at 3:30 p.m.