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Edition 36, 2020
Hello Friend,
In this edition of Brainwaves, I have good news to share.
Firstly, we were very pleased in the recent budget announcements that the Tasmanian Government has agreed to continue funding Epilepsy Tasmania. After a difficult year due to COVID-19, this is a big relief and means we can continue providing our high level of services, support and epilepsy-related training in Tasmania.
Secondly, I want to let you know that last month we collectively achieved something incredible: Tasmanians walked around Tasmania four times to raise awareness and funds for epilepsy support in our state.
More than 1200 people from across Australia came together to conquer their local streets in Walk for Epilepsy. Even though we couldn’t physically be together, we’ve never been better connected; we’ve shared more stories, inspired more people, and supported each other better than ever before.
To each and every one of our walkers, thank you. To everyone who donated to improve the lives of loved ones and strangers alike, thank you. Every step walked, every dollar raised, every conversation started has made a profound difference. With your support, we’ll be able to help more families, train more schools, and research with more determination than we’ve ever been able to.
Tasmanians wore their stories with pride, and simply taking part was a mammoth achievement. We’ve still got work to do. Research into epilepsy, and into finding a cure must continue at a rapid pace. People living with epilepsy continue to face stigma and uncertainty. We’ll keep working, and we’ll do it in the knowledge that each of you is also working: together we can achieve the impossible.
Oh, and one last thing. Have you seen the new sign on the building of our Launceston office yet? If you go past, we hope you can't miss it!
Take care,
Wendy Groot, CEO Epilepsy Tasmania.
AGM
Another year has flown by and it's once again time for our Annual General Meeting and this year it's easier than ever to attend.
Epilepsy Tasmania will hold its AGM on Thursday the 3rd December 2020 at 4 pm.
We welcome you to come along in-person to the ABC Building Hobart at 1-7 Liverpool Street, or attend the meeting online via Zoom.
In line with the COVID-19 health advice, pre-registration is required for both in-person & Zoom attendances.
Register in advance for Zoom attendance:
https://us02web.zoom.us/…/tZwudOmhpzMrHNSzdWzDEV-2tbLQSwVDB…
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about how to join the meeting.
Register in advance for in-person attendance:
via email: admin@epilepsytasmania.org.au or via phone: 03 63446881.
Local Tasmanian on a Mission for Good
After the devastating loss of a close teenager to epilepsy, Friend of Epilepsy Tasmania, Brooke Emery, decided to organise a fundraiser to raise funds and awareness of how epilepsy affects Tasmanians and the range of support options available in our state.
Brooke has secured an amazing array of prizes including vouchers, restaurant meals and gift baskets. But you have to be in it to win!
Prizes will be drawn on 18 Dec at 12 pm and you don't need to be present. Purchase tickets and support Brooke's efforts here: https://www.raffletix.com.au/…
If you would like to learn more about epilepsy or want to raise funds and awareness for Epilepsy Tasmania then please visit our website: www.epilepsytasmania.org.au
Thanks for your support, Brooke.
Evandale Runs for Epilepsy
On the 21st of October, Evandale Primary School held a fun-run as part of our Walk 4 Epilepsy event.
160 students each ran a 600-metre lap of the school oval which added up to a collective 96 kilometres - what an achievement! - plus some increased awareness about epilepsy and a donation to Epilepsy Tasmania.
Thank you to everyone who organised, participated or donated. #EpilepsySmartSchools rock!
New Headspace Centre Opens in Devonport
The doors are now open at a new headspace centre in Devonport, improving access to mental health services for young people living in north-west Tasmania.
This service expansion will make it easier for young people (aged 12 to 25 years) to get the mental health support they need, when they need it, within their local community.
It also means each of Tasmania’s three regions – south, north, and north-west – now has its own full headspace centre.
Everything you need to know about an EEG
Our friends at Seer Medical have come up with the ultimate guide to the EEG:
Electroencephalography (EEG) is a test that uses metal discs called electrodes placed on the scalp to record the electrical activity in the brain. It’s primarily used to test for epilepsy and disorders that affect the brain.
The electrodes detect the electrical impulses that brain cells use to communicate with one another. These impulses are recorded through the electrodes by a computer system, where they appear as a series of wavy lines (known as a trace), allowing scientists to read a snapshot of the brain activity.
For close to a century, EEG has been used and refined, leading to many discoveries in neurology and psychiatry, as well as helping doctors diagnose and treat their patients.
Read the Ultimate Guide to an EEG on the Seer Medical blog: https://www.seermedical.com/blog/eeg-test-guide/
CHRISTMAS GIFTS - ORDER NOW!
Prices start from just $3 and we post to anywhere in Australia.
“Happiness is not something you postpone for the future; it is something you design for the present."
Jim Rohn
Epilepsy Tasmania is a not-for-profit community organisation improving the quality of life of Tasmanians with epilepsy, and those around them, through education, coordination and support.
