Epilepsy Foundation of Greater Chicago

Who's ready to say hi to Eli?! Sign up today for the Epilepsy Fall Fest 5K presented by Northwestern Medicine happening this Saturday (9/21) in Wheaton. NOTE: Online registration for the Wheaton 5K will close at 3:00pm today (participants will be able to register onsite). See you soon!

Register here: https://bit.ly/3SwmauZ

Kids with epilepsy make up a majority of the CVI community, yet most don’t know they’re living with CVI, or Cerebral/Cortical Visual Impairment. CVI is the leading cause of childhood blindness and low vision, yet only 20% of kids have a diagnosis. Join us at 2 pm on Monday, September 30 to learn more about the connection between CVI and epilepsy. Hear from medical providers, parents, and CVI experts. Register here: https://bit.ly/EpilepsyandCVIWebinar

Join us this Saturday at Cantigny Park in Wheaton for the Epilepsy Fall Fest 5K presented by Northwestern Medicine! This year we are aiming to raise $200,000! Register and donate today to help us reach our goal here: https://bit.ly/3SwmauZ

It was exciting to partner with the Epilepsy Foundation of America to kick off by participating in the 26th Street Mexican Independence Day Parade this past weekend! EFGC is proud to offer free case management, counseling, and support groups in Spanish. For more information, contact Agatha Demarchi at [email protected].

Calling all dog lovers! Our Epilepsy Fall Fest 5K presented by Northwestern Medicine at Montrose Harbor on September 28th will include a Best Dressed Dog Contest! Get creative with your furry friends and bring them along. The winner will receive a fun prize. Register at https://bit.ly/3SwmauZ

Ever heard of a rescue med but not sure wtf it really means? 🧐 Join Dr. Becker, a top epileptologist at Ohio State’s Comprehensive Epilepsy Center, as she explains rescue meds, how to use them, and how to talk to your doctor about them. And check out how Dr. Becker and her team are revolutionizing epilepsy treatment through cutting-edge research and compassionate care.

Find out where you can stream this here: https://www.whattheefpodcast.com/

You won't want to miss out on all that we have planned for this year's Epilepsy Fall Fest 5K presented by Northwestern Medicine, including complimentary hot dogs from Hubby's Dog House and coffee and espresso from Nood Coffee! Join us on September 21st at Cantigny Park in Wheaton and September 28th at Montrose Harbor in Chicago - register here: https://bit.ly/3SwmauZ

What the EF is back! Check out the first episode of Seizen Six today... Growing up, Anna faced relentless bullying and doubt from both peers and teachers because of her seizures. But instead of letting the stigma define her, she transformed her pain into power. Now a Community Outreach Specialist for the Epilepsy Foundation of Wisconsin, Anna is a source of inspiration 🌟 and support 🤝, ensuring that no one feels alone on their epilepsy journey. Tune in to hear how Anna flipped the script, owned her epilepsy, and became a beacon of hope (and hilarity). 💪

Find out where you can stream this here: https://www.whattheefpodcast.com/

In observance of Labor Day, we will be closed on Monday, September 2nd. We will reopen on Tuesday, September 3rd. If you need immediate assistance, please contact our 24/7 helpline at 800-332-1000.

Our next Adult Outing is set for Friday, September 13th! We'll be taking in the sights of city along the river on a Chicago Architecture Boat Tour! For more information and to register, contact Erin at [email protected].

*This message is for our Spanish speaking families*
El mes de la Herencia Hispana está a la vuelta de la esquina y para celebrarlo invitamos a nuestros miembros activos y sus familias de habla hispana a compartir un Desayuno Cultural juntos! Tendremos rica comida, antojitos y mucho más ¡Los esperamos! Para más información comunicarse con Agatha al siguiente correo electrónico [email protected]

Thank you to our heroes, the sponsors of the 2024 Epilepsy Fall Fest 5K! The support of Northwestern Medicine, UCB Biopharma, Jazz Pharmaceuticals, Endeavor Health, Midwestern Career College, VNS Therapy for Epilepsy, and SK Life Science helps make what we do possible and we are very grateful! Visit https://bit.ly/3SwmauZ to register for the 5K!

Last night we had our latest Summer Adult Outing at the Chicago White Sox game! Despite the hot weather and rain showers, the night turned out to be a great success! Thank you Emily, Jose and Erin for your help!

Introducing our latest Kids & Teens Club activity: Open Gym Wednesdays! We're partnering with Hi-Five Sports Club to host gym nights once a month on Wednesdays across Chicagoland. Each night will include games run by Hi-Five coaches and a pizza dinner. Our first meeting will be on September 11 from 5:30-7:30 pm at their Naperville location - Hi-Five Sports Naperville. For more information and to register, contact Erin at [email protected]

It's back to school time! Don't forget - EFGC provides free virtual and in-person Seizure First Aid Trainings to teachers and school personnel at any school in the greater Chicago area. We can also assist with IEPs. If you would like to schedule a training contact Ayesha at [email protected].

Our Creativity Hour is back! Starting September 5, we will be meeting on the first Thursday of the month at EFGC's office (17 N. State St. in Chicago) through December. We will create stories and poetry together and explore how we can express ourselves through the art of writing. For more information and to register, visit https://bit.ly/3HGWUwb

We'll be at Cantigy Park in Wheaton on September 21 and at Montrose Harbor on September 28 for the Epilepsy Fall Fest 5K presented by Northwestern Medicine to celebrate our heroes... Tell us about your epilepsy hero and tag them in the comments below! Haven't registered yet? Visit https://bit.ly/3SwmauZ

The next session of our Health Equity Roundtable Series will take place in one week (8/28) from 12:00-1:30 pm. We will be focusing on Patient Advocacy, specifically the impact housing instability can have on a person's health. Ensuring housing accessibility for people with disabilities is key to promoting health equity. This webinar will be conducted via Zoom. To register, visit https://bit.ly/3wGFnlX

Everyone had a blast at our first ever Picnic with the Dogs over the weekend! Over 160 people came to root on the Chicago Dogs, enjoy each other's company, and have a great time!

Have you registered for the Epilepsy Fall Fest 5K presented by Northwestern Medicine? You won't want to miss out! This year we'll be walking to celebrate our epilepsy heroes. An epilepsy hero can be a family member, friend, doctor, teacher...Anyone who helps us through challenges, rises to the occasion, and takes on every day with strength and courage. Join us as we celebrate our heroes! Registration is free and there are exciting incentives for those who fundraise. For more information and to register, visit https://bit.ly/3SwmauZ

It is with mixed emotions that we share the news that Briee, our Member Adult Programs Coordinator, will be leaving EFGC. We are excited for her to be returning to her roots of teaching, but are sad to be losing such an energetic spirit, filled with compassion and positivity. She utilized these traits to best serve the epilepsy community and had a meaningful impact on our Members, as well as staff. We'll miss you Briee!

*This is message is for our Spanish speaking families*

Los invitamos a celebrar el MES DE LA HERENCIA HISPANA con un rico y delicioso desayuno cultural para nuestras familias de habla hispana. Es un evento gratuito y familiar en Sábado 14 de Septiembre, 11am a 1pm en el Museo de Artes Mexicano en el barrio de Pilsen. Para mas informacion por favor comunicarse con Agatha Demarchi al siguiente correo electrónico [email protected]

EFGC staff and board members recently had a very productive Orientation Meeting. We were able to learn more about each other and share all that we do to serve the epilepsy community!

Despite the on-again, off-again rain, golfers had a great time raising over $85,000 at the 24th annual Tee Off for EFGC!

Our members had a great time watching Barbie at Millennium Park recently! They loved watching a movie outside at night. The park was packed and everyone had lots of fun!

Registration is open for our Epilepsy Fall Fest 5K presented by Northwestern Medicine! Join us on September 21st at Cantigny Park in Wheaton and on September 28th at Montrose Harbor in Chicago as we walk to celebrate and honor those affected by epilepsy. This year we are bringing an exciting new theme to the day: Who is your epilepsy hero? An epilepsy hero can be anyone ranging from a doctor, a family member, a teacher or someone in your support system. This is a celebration to highlight those who help us through challenges, rise to the occasion, and take on every day with strength and courage. Let’s celebrate our epilepsy heroes! For more information and to register visit https://bit.ly/3SwmauZ

In honor of the 34th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, we want to emphasize our mission to advocate for the diversity, accessibility, inclusivity, and uniqueness of every individual. If you believe you're a victim of disability discrimination, don’t ignore it, report it. Connect with your case manager or visit epilepsychicago.org

Everyone had a great time at our latest Summer Wednesday at the Brookfield Zoo Chicago! We explored the grounds, got a little wet watching the dolphin show, and had fun with some new friends!

On September 15th we will be marching in the Mexican Independence Day Parade with the Epilepsy Foundation of America as we strive for higher visibility in the Hispanic community. Join us as we walk to help raise epilepsy awareness! For more information and to register visit https://bit.ly/3yfeMx5

Members recently enjoyed EFGC's first Campfire Night at the Lincoln Park Zoo! We had the zoo all to ourselves after hours! We visited the animals and ate tasty s'mores!