Purple Day Today!

Beginning in 2008, people are encouraged to wear a purple-colored item of clothing on 26 March. Purple and lavender are often associated with epilepsy, as for example in the wearing a lavender ribbon. Purple Day is an event designed to raise awareness of Epilepsy. Cassidy Megan of Nova Scotia [2] Canada created the idea of Purple Day in 2008, motivated by her own struggles with epilepsy.

Epilepsy is one of the most common of the serious neurological disorders. Genetic, congenital, and developmental conditions are mostly associated with it among younger patients; tumors are more likely over age 40; head trauma and central nervous system infections may occur at any age.

• There are over 50 million sufferers in the world today, 85% of whom live in developing countries;


• An estimated 2.4 million new cases occur each year globally


• At least 50% of cases begin at childhood or adolescence


• 70% to 80% of people with epilepsy could lead normal lives if properly treated


• In developing countries, 60% to 90% of people with epilepsy receive no treatment due to inadequacies in health care resources and delivery, and due to social stigma.

For more information on Epilepsy, read WHO publication: Atlas: Epilepsy Care in the World [3].
For more health statistics, you may want to check the Global Burden of Disease (GBD [4]).

Posted by

Sui Zhang [5]