Amy Lee of Evanescence to Champion Epilepsy Cause

Excerpted from The Update, December 2005

The Epilepsy Foundation of Greater Cincinnati is calling attention to the November observance of National Epilepsy Awareness Month with the announcement that the Foundation's national organization is working with rock singer and composer Amy Lee on a campaign for epilepsy awareness. The campaign will debut after the first of the year. Original plans for a November launch were later postponed so that Ms. Lee could continue work on her new "Evanescence" album.

The Grammy Award-winning recording artist is no stranger to epilepsy. "I'm committed to this cause because epilepsy affects someone very dear to me," she has told the Foundation. "And I'm humbled to know that I can be a catalyst for change."

The Epilepsy Foundation's connection with Ms. Lee came when it was discovered that she had made a personal donation to the organization. Her interests are in educating the public about the condition and in promoting research for the cure.

"The need for public education is vitally important," says Margie Frommeyer. "A national study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that the majority of Americans know very little about it." The CDC study was published in the journal Epilepsia.

During November, the Epilepsy Foundation of Greater Cincinnati has conducted professional seminars, support groups, "You Are Not Alone: Parenting Your Teen with Epilepsy," epilepsy education directed toward school faculty and administrators, and the Kids on the Block Program for children grades four and under.

For information on these or any of our other programs, please call (513) 721-2905.