November is National Epilepsy Awareness Month

November marks National Epilepsy Awareness Month. Childhood epilepsy impacts 456,000 children throughout the United States and Camp Boggy Creek, a Central Florida area year-round medically safe camp has served thousands of Florida children with an epilepsy diagnosis since its inception in 1996 by providing them with life-changing camp experiences.

Throughout the year, children with an epilepsy diagnosis can come to Camp Boggy Creek to just be kids. Founded by actor Paul Newman and General Norman Schwarzkopf in 1996, the 232-acre Camp features a state-of-the-art medical facility and is staffed by a team of medical professionals and highly trained volunteers to ensure the safety of all the children that come to Camp. With typical camp activities like fishing, boating, theater, archery, horseback riding, and so much more, these children have the time of their lives while at camp. On top of all the fun, children can be with other children with the same diagnosis as them and realize that they are not alone in their diagnosis. When campers leave our gates, they leave knowing that they are NOT alone, that they are capable of so much, and that their illness doesn’t define their identity.

President and CEO, Dan Jurman offers a unique perspective being a camper parent of a daughter with epilepsy: “When you have epilepsy, a seizure can come at any time. They’re scary, especially if you’ve never seen one before. So that means this scary thing can happen at school, a sleepover at a friend’s house, the grocery store, and amusement park, church, anywhere you go. At a Camp Boggy Creek epilepsy session, you don’t have to worry about that. You don’t have to worry about not getting help from a doctor or nurse quickly. You don’t have to worry about other kids making fun of you because you’re different. You don’t have to worry about other people being scared of you. You don’t – have – to – worry. You can just be a kid. Your family can just be a family. You can laugh, and play, and sing, and dance, and just be a kid. You and your parents can make friends who are just like you. As the parent of a child with epilepsy, I can’t tell you enough what a priceless gift that is, even for just a few days.”

To learn more about childhood epilepsy and how you can help to build awareness, visit Epilepsy.com.