EPILEPSY FOUNDATION OF SOUTHEAST TENNESSEE

EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES ARE CATERED TO SPECIFIC POPULATIONS AND PROVIDE PROPER INFORMATION RELATED TO SEIZURE RECOGNITION AND FIRST-AID. THESE EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES ARE PERFECT FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT AND ALL FIRST-RESPONDERS, DAY CARE EMPLOYEES, COMMUNITY FOCUSED ORGANIZATIONS, AND ANY BUSINESSES THAT MAY WANT TO LEARN ABOUT EPILEPSY. APPROXIMATELY 12,000 INDIVIDUALS WERE IMPACTED BY THE EDUCATION/TRAINING PROGRAM IN THE 2022-2023 FISCAL YEAR. THE MEDICATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM WAS SPECIFICALLY CREATED TO HELP INDIVIDUALS WITH EPILEPSY, WHO LIVE AT OR BELOW THE U.S. FEDERAL POVERTY LINE, WITH PURCHASING THEIR MEDICATION. EACH CLIENT WHO ENROLLS IN THIS PROGRAM IS ELIGIBLE FOR AN ANNUAL STIPEND OF $400 WHICH CAN BE USED AT THEIR DISCRETION. 56 PRESCRIPTIONS WERE FILLED DURING THE 2022-2023 FISCAL YEAR. STUDIO E ART THERAPY IS A MULTI-WEEK ART PROGRAM THAT GIVES CHILDREN, AGES 6-17, WITH EPILEPSY, THE OPPORTUNITY TO CREATIVELY EXPRESS THEMSELVES THROUGH ART AND ALSO CREATE A COMMUNITY OF SUPPORT AMOUNG THEIR PEERS. 35 CHILDREN WERE PART OF THE ART PROGRAM DURING THE 2021-2022 FISCAL YEAR. DURING THE SUMMER WE HOSTED A PHOTOGRAPHY CAMP FOR CHILDREN IMPACTED BY EPILEPSY. THIS IS A 4-WEEK PROGRAM WHERE CHILDREN ARE GIVEN AN OPPORTUNITY TO EXPRESS THEMSELVES THROUGH PHOTOGRAPHY, WHILE ALSO LEARNING PHOTOGRAPHY AND CAMERA SKILLS. IN THE 2022-2023 FISCAL YEAR, 35 CHILDREN ATTENDED OVER THE 4-WEEK PERIOD. EACH MONTH EFSETN HOSTS OUR CONNECTIONS SUPPORT GROUP MEETINGS FOR ANYONE WHO IS IMPACTED BY EPILEPSY. THESE MEETINGS ARE A GREAT PLACE TO CONNECT WITH OTHER PEOPLE WHO UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE GOING THOUGH AS WELL AS EXPERT GUESTS FROM A WIDE VARIETY OF FIELDS. THESE GUESTS INCLUDE NEUROLOGISTS, SOCIAL WORKERS, ATTORNEYS, AND PHARMACISTS, JUST TO NAME A FEW. 241 PEOPLE WERE INVOLVED IN THESE SUPPORT GROUPS DURING THE 2021-2022 FISCAL YEAR.