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your convenience only. Barrow Neurological Institute neither
endorses nor is responsible for the content in any way.
Epilepsy Foundation of
Arizona
Epilepsy Foundation of
Arizona
P.O. Box 25984
Phoenix, AZ 85002
602-406-3581 or 888-768-2690
http://www.epilepsyfoundation.org/arizona/
This nonprofit organization offers a wide
range of support groups throughout Arizona for individuals affected
by epilepsy. Specialized support groups include
- Adult/Family support groups
- Parent support groups
- Spanish-speaking support groups
- Senior adult support groups
The following programs are offered by the
Epilepsy Foundation of Arizona:
The H.O.P.E
Mentoring Program
This program offers a thorough public
epilepsy education seminar given by trained speakers who either
have epilepsy or who are family members of a person with
epilepsy.
The foundation has provided this program to
schools, communities, group homes, support groups and the nursing
program at Gateway Community College. A version of this
program, Epilepsy 10, is presented to newly diagnosed patients,
their families, and anyone else who wants to attend. The
program is offered four times a year at different published
locations throughout the Phoenix metropolitan area.
The program lasts 2 hours and is offered
in the evening. In the last 2 years, it has educated 250
people.
Annual Epilepsy
Update
This program has two sessions, one for
medical professionals and one for patients and their families. It
is held in the fall and covers topics such as new treatment options
and medications. Presenters are experts from the neurological field
in Arizona along with doctors from outside the state. The attendees
can attend the main sessions and breakout sessions. This annual
event rotates between the Phoenix area and Tucson. This event has
about 200 to 250 attendees each year.
Spring Epilepsy
Update
The foundation offers a shorter version or
our annual update in the spring. It is usually a 2-hour evening
program with local doctors who cover set topics. Each year
this program rotates to different locations throughout Arizona
and has about 60 to 70 attendees.
Kids on the
Block
The Kids on the Block program is geared to
children ages 9 to 13 years. The foundation has given talks at
schools and through the Phoenix Parks and Recreations Program.
Children and teachers respond well, and parents usually refer
the foundation to other schools. The audience at each performance
range between 25 and 350 children .
Seniors
Program
The senior program addresses seniors and
their special needs. The foundation has a speaker
who visits nursing homes and gives seminars that are
geared to the older generation. The speaker also addresses
doctors' groups and the foundation's senior support group.
Attendance at these talks varies with the number of winter visitors
in the area (5 to 35).
Camp
Candlelight
Each year in the third week in June, the
foundation offers a weeklong summer camp for children with
epilepsy. The children participate in arts and crafts, fishing,
horseback riding, campouts, and more. The camp is staffed with a
full-time doctor, three nurses, a camp director, and camp
counselors, many who have been campers in the past. The children,
some who have never been away from home before, have a great time
and make many friends who are just like themselves.
Seniors &
Seizures
The Epilepsy Foundation of Arizona has
implemented a new program focusing on seizures in the elderly.
Recent trends indicate a growing incidence of seizure disorders in
people over 60 years old. For the first time, more seniors are
being diagnosed with seizure disorders than are children. As people
live longer due to advances in healthcare and improved lifestyles,
the incidence of seizure disorders increases. Not all seizure
disorders are convulsions, and they can be confused with other
disorders. Many seizures can be controlled with medication and
other treatment.
