Greater Southern Illinois Administration Office
140 Iowa Avenue, Suite A
Belleville, Illinois 62220
Phone: (618) 236-2181
Toll Free: (866) 848-0472
Fax: (618) 236-3654
e-mail: ellenepilepsy@sbcglobal.net
Southern Illinois Branch Office
1100 South 42nd Street, Suite D
Mt. Vernon, Illinois 62864
Phone: (618) 244-6680
Fax: (618) 244-6686
e-mail: efsi@mvn.net
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PLEASE FIGHT FOR EPILEPSY SERVICES
Wednesday, July 1, 2009, is going to be a devastating day for people with epilepsy in the State of Illinois.
That's the day the state's FY2010 budget goes into effect. And right now that budget contains NO money for specialized epilepsy care services, such as the kind currently being offered by Epilepsy Foundation affiliates across Illinois.
The Illinois General Assembly had a chance to pass a comprehensive, balanced budget as presented by Governor Pat Quinn before ending their session on May 31st. And members of the Illinois Senate did just that. House members, however, voted against the Governor's budget, choosing instead to cut funding to the most vulnerable members of society.
In response to the House's limited budget, the Illinois Department of Human Services was forced to implement its "doomsday" budget plan, which eliminates funding to dozens of key social services, including those designated for the provision of medical, social, and support programs for individuals with epilepsy. The state's budget is "balanced," but its social infrastructure is in peril. And people with epilepsy are going to suffer because of it.
Starting July 1st, if funding is not restored to the state's budget, Epilepsy Foundation affiliates will be forced to begin implementing dramatic program cuts - cuts that will directly impact the over 129,000 people with epilepsy in Illinois.
But all may not be lost.
Governor Quinn is asking members of the General Assembly to return to Springfield next week so that he can work with House members in passing a budget which meets the state's obligations to its citizens. Last time around, only 42 of the 118 House members voted in favor of the Governor's budget. The rest voted 'no.'
We need to turn those 'no' votes into 'yes' votes - votes that say 'yes' to individuals with epilepsy and other disabilities, 'yes' to the continuation of vital social services, and 'yes' to the people of Illinois!
On behalf of the over 129,000 people with epilepsy in Illinois, please call your State Representative TODAY and ask them to restore the cuts to vital epilepsy services in Illinois. Click here for a list of State Representatives and State Senators.
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Newsletter
We will be putting our newsletter into e-mail format. If you would like to receive our newsletter by e-mail, please sign up here at Newsletter Sign Up.
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Please click on the eCommunities picture above to get linked to the eCommunities website.
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| The 15th Annual Epilepsy Foundation Golf Tournament
Honorary Chairman Mike Buehlhorn
Monday, August 24, 2009
Clinton Hill Golf Course
3700 Old Collinsville Road
Swansea, IL 62226
Includes a four person scramble, cart, green fees, lunch & dinner, and two complimentary drink tickets. A&B Flights, Plaques for First & Second place prizes, Prizes for Closest to the Pin, Longest Drive, & Longest Putt. Plus additional Attendance Prizes!
Registration begins at 11 a.m. Shotgun Start at 12:30 p.m. Dinner to follow. The cost per player is $100 (Foursome $400) with checks made payable to the Epilepsy Foundation of Greater Southern Illinois. Contact Jan Conder at the Epilepsy Foundation at (618) 236-2181 Ext. 110 or by email at janconder@sbcglobal.net.
For a registration form, please click on the picture to the left.
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Sharon's Ride/Walk/Run
Sharon's Ride/Walk/Run will be held in October at Southern Illinois University - Edwardsville. Registration is $15. That includes breakfast, goody bags, t-shirts, awards and prizes. The 20 mile ride will begin at 8:00 a.m. in Parking lot A and the 5-K run will begin at 10:00 a.m. The team that raises the most donations (minimum $200) will receive a grand prize. Medals will be distributed in each designated division. Various sponsors of this year's event include, but not limited to: Fruit Flowers, Casual Tees, SIU-E, All-Star Distributing, Dowen Signs, and more! If you are unable to participate in this year's event and want to make a donation, you can mail your donation to the Epilepsy Foundation of Greater Southern Illinois, 140 Iowa Avenue, Suite A, Belleville, IL 62220, Attn: Jan Conder. Please make checks payable to the "Epilepsy Foundation of Greater Southern Illinois" and help make this year's event a great success.
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Expressions of CourageArt Contest for People with EpilepsyExpressions of Courage® is a national art contest for people with epilepsy. The contest showcases the talent and inspiration of people across the country living with the condition. For people living with epilepsy, art can serve as a visual demonstration of the feelings of living with epilepsy. From a finger painting on a sheet of paper to an intricate drawing on a canvas, art provides an opportunity for people with epilepsy to vibrantly convey how they live with the condition. For more information and to download entry forms please visit the Expressions of Courage website by clicking on the picture to the right.
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| An Invitation to an Online Program about Recognizing and Managing Seizures Within the School Setting on August 11, 2009. Register for the New EP Live Online Seminar today by clicking on the icon to the left.
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EPILEPSY FOUNDATION OF GREATER SOUTHERN ILLINOIS
SECOND ANNUAL GALA
The Second Annual Gala to benefit the Epilepsy Foundation of Greater Southern Illinois was held on Friday, March 27th at the Bellecourt Manor in Belleville, Illinois. The event netted nearly $8,000 for the foundation and was a huge success for the individuals who we serve with epilepsy. Entertainment was provided by Daniel Faltus and Amy Bonn in, "The Sound of Music: A Celebration of Melody." Co-Chairs of the event were Judee Sauget and Judy Cates, with committee members consisting of Jilanne Barnes, Mistress of Ceremonies, Ellen Becker, Mike Buehlhorn, Tim Faltus, Sr. Teresa Ganley, Jessica Klaus, Annie Miller and Jan Conder. Sponsors included: The Cates Law Firm, Sauget Properties, Three Blondes Films, Bellecourt Manor, Fruit Flowers, Grimm & Gorly, All-Star Distributing, and Illinois Distributing Company. To see more pictures, please click on the picture below.
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| The First Annual ProjectUS "Weaving of the Ribbons Walk" was held Saturday, April 4, 2009, at Richland Creek Greenway Trail in Belleville, Illinois. The event, which the Epilepsy Foundation of Greater Southern Illinois participated in, raised $15,500, with each ribbon holder receiving $525.00. The event had over 300 participants and was a monumental success. The event will be held next year on April 10, 2010.
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LEAH'S WALK FOR EPILEPSY
We would like to thank all who participated in the 2nd Annual Leah's Walk for Epilepsy on Saturday, May 2nd at Carbondale Community High School. Businesses and individuals who generously donated time, resources, and funds helped make the walk a success. A special thank you goes to Leah's mother, Brandi, whose tireless efforts made the event wonderful and helped bring awareness to epilepsy. Sponsors included: Attitude Designs, Bumper to Bumper, Carbondale Community High School, Southern Illinois Healthcare, McBride Mack Sales & Service Inc., Bryan's Hair Salon, Tammy Vaughn Allstate Insurance, Unity Baptist Church, Pizza Hut, WSIL TV 3, Midwest Sound & Light Show, Southern Import Repair, Plaza Tire, Tantastic, Mac Weld Inc., River Radio, United Way, Ultimate Gymnastics, Full Gospel Pentecostal Church, TJ's Fine Jewelry, Haven of Love L.T.D., Great Boars of Fire, Mrs. Lindsey's 2nd Grade Class, Southern Illinois Lock & Key, The Flower Box, Inc., Wright's Do It Center, Fine Dine Catering, Stan Schwartz Allstate Insurance, Kohl's of Carbondale, Grammers Market, and Stretch-N-Grow.
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Exceptional achievement deserves special recognition. UCB, The Epilepsy Company™, is committed to recognizing the achievements of people living with epilepsy and their family members.
The UCB Family Epilepsy Scholarship Program™ provides financial support for academic and personal achievement and is committed to recognizing the achievements of people living with epilepsy and their family members.
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New Therapies for Epilepsy
The Epilepsy Foundation is committed to informing our community about up-to-the-minute breakthroughs in the treatment of epilepsy. We wanted you to be aware that the FDA recently approved two new treatments for seizures. BANZEL™ (rufinamide) was just approved to treat Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome, a severe form of epilepsy that is extremely difficult to treat and accounts for 1 to 4 percent of childhood epilepsy cases. The FDA also approved Vimpat® (lacosamide) an add-on therapy for the treatment of partial-onset seizures. Our hope is that these kinds of medical advances will one day lead to freedom from seizures and side effects for people living with epilepsy. For additional information, please click on the picture to the right.
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New FDA Regulation for Generic Approval
The FDA has a new requirement for bioequivalence data from companies seeking approval of a generic drug. For the rest of the article, please click here on "New FDA Regulation".
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Keep Your Child with Seizures Safe
What can you do to protect your child from a seizure-related accident? Click on the links below to find out more about seizures and safety.
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For information in Spanish, please click on the picture above to visit the new Epilepsy Spanish-language website:
www.fundacionparalaepilepsia.org
Toll Free phone numbers for Spanish-speaking callers are:
1-866-748-8008 (National Office - bilingual specialist will answer in Spanish)
1-800-377-9958 (National Center for Farmworker Health)
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The Epilepsy Foundation of Greater Southern Illinois will ensure that people with seizures are able to participate in all life experiences; and will prevent, control and cure epilepsy through services, education, advocacy and research.
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