November is National Epilepsy Awareness Month, and 2008 marks the 36th anniversary of this important designation. There are 80,000 South Carolinians and nearly 3,000,000 Americans living with epilepsy. For many the biggest problem they face, besides seizures, are negative attitudes about the condition.

The Epilepsy Foundation of S.C.'s (EFSC) Speakers' Bureau offers public education narratives about seizure disorders, first aid, seizure recognition, and prevention. Speakers are offered free of charge to organizations, civic and church groups to educate and inform about epilepsy.

To schedule a presentation for your group in November, call the Epilepsy Foundation at (803) 798- 8502.

"There are several different kinds of seizures, and observers can easily be confused about what is actually happening," said Barbara Brothers, executive director of the Epilepsy Foundation of S.C. "Recognizing seizures and responding appropriately can decrease their impact on the person who lives with a seizure disorder."

According to James Selph, MD, a neurologist at USC School of Medicine, "Nearly 200,000 new cases of seizure disorder and epilepsy are diagnosed each year, and three percent of Americans will develop epilepsy by the time they reach the age of 75. This is not an obscure condition but a lack of knowledge about epilepsy leads to isolation of people who suffer from seizure disorders from the mainstream of life."

A seizure is a disturbance in the electrical activity of the brain, and one in every 10 Americans will suffer at least one seizure in their lifetime. Epilepsy is the name for recurring seizures, and the condition can affect anyone, at any age, anytime.

"Epilepsy is a medical condition; it's not contagious, and it can be treated. In fact, many people with epilepsy work, attend school, and live full and active lives," says Selph.