If someone had told me years ago, to wear a purple shirt, I would have laughed at them. Why would I want to look like Barney the Dinosaur, that traumatizing kids show entertainer, who I am tempted to run over with my car if he ever waltzes across the highway? The responding officer would say "Didn't you try to avoid this?" "I did." "Then why did you go four lanes across the road to hit him?" Yeah, the lack of skid marks in the right direction in that case, would probably have me in the pokey or worse for a long time.
Unlike Barney, and that horrifying voice that I hope is used for the military's psychological operations division, purple is the color of epilepsy awareness. Each November is the official month, as people with seizures, or who love someone with them, is wearing this color or a ribbon for this purpose. Funding is so vital to this cause, and that same one that is so very close, to so many people's hearts. There has been so much pain, whether at an emotional level, or with regards to productivity. Along with so many others, I have lost a son to seizures, and to bury your own little boy, changes your perspective forever. You are damn right I will wear purple, not only in remembrance of him, but thinking about the folks whom are contending with seizures right now. 3% of us have seizures on a regular basis. If you are in the United States, that is 9 million plus of our fellow citizens. Now with seven billion folks on the planet, just announced this past week, the number of people whom are dealing with them, our brothers and sisters, we must find a cure.
That's what the purple is about. According to the National Epilepsy Foundation, less the 1/2 of 1% of U.S. government medical research, goes to seizure research. I was startled by that number, considering the amount of folks, that deal with this, and also how lab work on this subject could help with other medical issues, such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. It sounds like all of us in the Epilepsy Family, aren't get our fair share of the pie. I find that low number to be disheartening, and while thankful advancements have been made, we still have a ways to go for a cure. If the folks at NIH(National Institutes of Health) and other groups got more government funding in this area, the possibilites are unlimited, and not only those who deal with seizures, but these other medical conditions could also march forward as well.
Right now there is a mom, who's been up all night with her little boy, who's been having seizures all night long. There is also a father, with his little girl, cradling her while she seizes up non-stop, stressed out beyond belief. They are our family members, friends, neighbors. Why not give them the help they need, by making a donation to folks like the National Epilepsy Foundation, going to their walk each March, or at least wearing a purple shirt, a ribbon, or making your facebook profile purple? Its up to all of us, to show purple as a way of saying, "I count, and so does a person I love that deals with seizures." This November be sure to wear it, because while it is too late for my son and so many others who have buried their cherished child, this is our time and our chance to finally show our compassion by wearing purple. Let's get the U.S. Government, and others to wake up to our plight, because we cannot afford to lie dormant, and expect action to move without us greasing the wheel.
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