Message from the Chair

By Steve Sabatini, Chair of the Epilepsy Foundation

The end of the year is always a time for reflection on the past 12 months. It’s also a good time to acknowledge a valued but often overlooked part of our society: caregivers of people with chronic disorders like epilepsy. We all have stress in our lives—at work and at home—but the stress of caring for someone with epilepsy can be intense, especially because it’s not an 8-houra- day commitment, it’s often 24/7. That’s why it is essential for caregivers to remember to take care of themselves, too. It will make them more effective in the long run if they look for healthy outlets like exercise and finding respite care. It also helps to be patient and understanding and to keep lines of communication open between you and the person you’re caring for. Just don’t forget to take time for yourself, too. Providing care is extremely important and we need to remember caregivers are making a difference in someone’s life every day. We must recognize their commitment and dedication.

We’ve made a lot of progress in the past year with strides in research and certainly some significant legislative victories, such as the signing into law of the ADA Amendments Act. We’ve also been successful in working to make our nationwide organization a united, strong Foundation. However, there are still many challenges. We still need to work on getting the message about epilepsy across and eliminating stigma. Also, as we all know, we are likely facing tough economic times ahead. We will face challenges down the road, but we’re strong, have great leadership, staff and volunteers and I know we’ll weather the storm.

While there is still a lot of work to do, this organization continues to move forward and we’re keeping the momentum going. I have been so inspired by the people at the Epilepsy Foundation because their enthusiasm and commitment for one common mission is contagious. It’s the kind of organization people want to belong to.

I look forward to the coming year and meeting the challenges ahead—with all of your support.