Community Education, Outreach & Advocacy

The Epilepsy Foundation of Long Island believes that with education comes understanding and acceptance. As part of the ongoing Community Education and Outreach programs, the Foundation seeks to communicate with all persons who have seizure disorders. The Foundation also strives to educate teachers, health care professionals, corporations and industry, as well as the general public, about the causes, treatment and consequences of epilepsy. Programs include:

• The Seizure Smart Program - reaches out to students and teachers in an effort to combat the stigma and misinformation surrounding epilepsy.
• Kids On The Block - a puppet show about epilepsy, is performed in elementary schools throughout Nassau and Suffolk Counties.

• Advocacy - The Foundation promotes inclusion and assists in the mission to eliminate stigma in the workplace, schools and community at large.

                              2003 Winning Kid!

"To have Epilepsy means to be a little different , but to be different doesn't bother me." These are the wise words spoken by eight year old Brittany Elizabeth Teller.

Brittany is a bright, active and outgoing third grader at Bowling Green Elementary School in Westbury. She takes lessons in piano, dance, and swimming. She is a Girl Scout, and she has recently been named the "2003 Winning Kid."

Brittany was diagnosed with Benign Rolandic Epilepsy (BRE) at the age of four. BRE is a childhood epileptic syndrome that is characterized by partial seizures affecting the face the tongue and that occur during sleep, or just before waking in Brittany's case. Brittany has been seizure-free for almost a year, because of successful anti-convulsant medication.