CONTACT:
Kimberli Meadows, (301) 918-3747, kmeadows@efa.org
Kisha James, (301) 918-3768, kjames@efa.org

The Epilepsy Foundation Commends Rock Star Prince for Talking About It

WASHINGTON, D.C., April 28, 2009—The Epilepsy Foundation applauds legendary rock star Prince for sharing his childhood experiences with epilepsy.

Prince revealed he had epilepsy during PBS’s Tavis Smiley show. The award-winning musician said, “I used to have seizures when I was young and my mother and father didn’t know what to do and how to handle it, but they did the best they could with what little they had.”

Prince said he had to deal with a lot of things in life and attributed his past flamboyant behavior to being teased as a child. “Early in my career I tried to compensate for that by being as flashy as I could and as noisy as I could.” He said he had never spoken publicly about his epilepsy before, but he enjoys this time in his life when he can reflect on his experiences and talk about them openly.

To get past the teasing from his peers, Prince said, “I went into self and taught myself music.” He stayed with it, practicing constantly, and soon the neighborhood kids were talking about him—this time with admiration instead of ridicule. He said, “Once I got that support from people, then I believed I could do anything.”

“The myths surrounding epilepsy have been part of our society for far too long,” said Eric R. Hargis, president and CEO of the Epilepsy Foundation. “We are incredibly grateful that Prince has shown everyone with epilepsy the importance of following your dreams and talking about the condition. The Epilepsy Foundation has numerous programs and resources to help people with epilepsy cope with the challenges they face today, and we are the largest nonprofit funder for epilepsy research for a cure tomorrow.”

Greg Grunberg, star of NBC’s ‘Heroes’ and spokesperson for the Epilepsy Foundation said, “I knew there was a reason I absolutely love Prince so much besides his musical genius.  I can’t thank him enough for sharing his personal story. My son had such a smile this morning when I told him that Prince had epilepsy just like him and has gone on to live his dream of making music and changing lives.  I absolutely welcome Prince with open arms to the community of celebrities and entertainers who are stepping up to talk about epilepsy. If, like Prince, we all just talk about it together, we will change the world for everyone impacted, including my son.”

Grunberg  and the Epilepsy Foundation recently launched www.TalkAboutIt.org, a site where celebrities, healthcare professionals and the public are coming together to help end the stigma around epilepsy.

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_{About Epilepsy
Epilepsy is a serious neurological condition that affects more than 3 million Americans and 50 million people worldwide. The condition produces seizures, which can range from a momentary disruption of the senses, to short periods of unconsciousness or staring spells, to convulsions. A seizure happens when a brief, strong surge of electrical activity affects part or all of the brain. When a person has two or more unprovoked seizures, they are considered to have epilepsy. Currently there is no cure for epilepsy; however, more than half of people with epilepsy are able to control seizures with existing treatment options.}

_{About the Epilepsy Foundation
The Epilepsy Foundation, a national non-profit with affiliated organizations throughout the United States, has led the fight against epilepsy since 1968. The Foundation’s goals are to ensure that people with seizures are able to participate in all life experiences; and prevent, control and cure epilepsy through services, education, advocacy and research, so not another moment is lost to seizures. For additional information, please visit www.epilepsyfoundation.org.}