August 2006

Epilepsy Foundation Northwest has had an incredible year and we have much news to share. Thank you for your continued support!

In June 2006, Epilepsy Foundation Oregon and Epilepsy Foundation Washington successfully merged to become Epilepsy Foundation Northwest.  We are very pleased to bring these families together to better serve the 200,000 Oregon and Washington residents diagnosed with epilepsy.

On June 17th, Epilepsy Foundation Northwest held our annual Step Into Summer for epilepsy walk.  Thank you to everyone who joined us in Portland , Seattle and Spokane to help raise epilepsy awareness!  Our top fundraising team was Swedish Meatballs and their captain, Peggy Friel.  The Swedish Meatballs raised over $6,000. Way to go, Swedish! 

Todd Robbins, long time friend of EFNW, was our top individual fundraiser.  Todd raised over $3,000 while creating greater epilepsy awareness in his community.  Todd is a Seattle native and apprentice glass-blowing artist.  His work will be shown in a group show in Florida .

Staff and Program updates:

Alta Hancock, Associate Director and Employment plus Manager, is this year’s Camp Discovery Camp Director.  Alta has worked closely with 2006 Volunteer of the Year, Rich Franklin, to ensure an exciting and fun session for this summer’s 40 campers.  Camp Discovery offers an opportunity for children with epilepsy and their siblings to participate in a childhood experience that many children take for granted.  Camp activities include boating, swimming, archery, rock-climbing, story-telling, singing and arts and crafts.  The counselor to camper ratio is 1:2. 

Faith Ramos has arranged for documentary coverage of Camp Discovery .  Ben Saboonchian, Senior Documentary Producer for KIRO-TV, CBS, Channel 7 in Seattle , will film Camp Discovery activities and interview campers and counselors.  His body of work includes 42 Documentaries for which he has won 66 awards, including 16 Northwest Chapter Emmys, 4 regional Edward R. Murrow Awards and 26 first place awards in regional and national competitions.  Please look for this special coverage to air in mid-September.  Contact Alta Hancock at ahancock@epilepsynw.org

After five and a half years of service with Epilepsy Foundation Northwest, Executive Director, Joel Neier decided to pursue other interests.  Following his departure, Faith Ramos accepted the Board’s invitation to serve as Director of Development. In her first week as Development Director, Faith met with Northwest Healthcare Leaders in Walla Walla , WA and civic leader, Donna McKereghan, Cinzia Escobido (long-time EFNW supporter and mother of Justin and Jake) and Potlatch Corporation’s Director of Giving, Mark Benson, in Spokane .  These meetings will serve to increase advocacy activity in Olympia and Salem during this year’s legislative sessions.  Faith will attend the Epilepsy Foundation’s National Leadership Conference in Nashville and Patient Advocacy Leadership Summit in Chapel Hill .  She will be in Portland this fall and winter, planning and orchestrating EFNW’s gala, Out of the Shadows.  For more information, contact Faith Ramos at framos@epilepsynw.org

Our Portland office has a new location and new staff has been added! 

The new address is 5816 SE Powell Boulevard , Suite D, Portland OR 97206-2860 .

We are happy to welcome Gaddiel J. Navarro to our Epilepsy Services Specialist team in Portland .   He has begun meeting with our Hispanic pediatric outreach project team.  Epilepsy Foundation Northwest is working collaboratively with Easter Seals Oregon on this plan.  This is an important project as the Hispanic population is rapidly increasing.  Recent research indicates that epilepsy onset is twice as high among Hispanics in the U.S. as compared with the general population. 

For more information, contact Gaddiel Navarro at gnavarro@epilepsynw.org

Sharon Johnston is our Spokane Epilepsy Services Specialist.  In addition to daily Information Referral and Advocacy, Sharon hosts monthly seminars and events.  Upcoming Spokane events include:

"Employment Plus" Workshop on September 23rd, presented by Associate Director, Alta Hancock.  Ms. Hancock will cover epilepsy, the hiring process and the ADA issues. Cara Weipert will be speaking on the Microenterprise program.

Education Day – Nov. 18 – November is National Epilepsy Awareness Month

Several local neurologists will discuss seizures and medication side effects in adults and children.

For more detailed information contact Sharon Johnston: sjohnston@epilepsynw.org or 509-325-1128.

Mineko Sterling is our Seattle Epilepsy Services Specialist. 

Upcoming Seattle events include:

Women and Epilepsy Conference - Saturday, November 4th at University of Washington Medical Center .  The conference will cover topics such as "Hormones, Pregnancy and Epilepsy," "AEDs and Birth Control" and "Genetics and Epilepsy."  Speakers include local epileptologists, a civic leader, and a professional woman with epilepsy who recently experienced pregnancy and childbirth. 

Epilepsy Education and Discussion Group - The topic for our September meeting is "Partial Seizures.”  Meetings will be held the 2nd Wednesday every month through December.  Location: Patient and Family Resource Center GEH-76 Harborview Medical Center   325 9th Ave. Seattle, WA 98104  Date & Time: Wednesday, September 13    3pm - 4:30pm  Contact Mineko Sterling at msterling@epilepsynw.org