title
PROPOSED RESOLUTION
RECOGNIZING THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER 2024 AS NATIONAL EPILEPSY AWARENESS MONTH
WHEREAS, November is National Epilepsy Awareness Month; and
WHEREAS, since 1969, the Epilepsy Foundation has celebrated November as National Epilepsy Awareness Month; and
WHEREAS, in 2003, Congress passed a formal resolution declaring November as National Epilepsy Awareness Month; and
WHEREAS, epilepsy is the fourth most common neurological disorder in the world; and
WHEREAS, if a person suffers from epilepsy, surges of electrical activity in their brain can cause recurring seizures; and
WHEREAS, seizures are sudden surges of abnormal and excessive electrical activity in your brain and can affect how a person appears and acts; and
WHEREAS, according to the Epilepsy Foundation, 1 in 10 people will have a seizure and 1 in 26 will develop epilepsy during their lifetime; and
WHEREAS, 470,000 children in the United States have epilepsy and 150,000 people are diagnosed per year; and
WHEREAS, over the years, people with epilepsy have experienced significant discrimination in the workplace, at school, and in other settings; and
WHEREAS, people with epilepsy were forbidden to marry in 17 states until 1956, and the last state to repeal this law did so in 1980; and
WHEREAS, in 1990, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) became law thanks in part to Tony Coelho, former U.S. Representative and member of the Epilepsy Foundation’s Board of Directors; and
WHEREAS, the ADA prohibits discrimination and guarantees the civil rights of people with disabilities; and
WHEREAS, in 2008, President George W. Bush signed the ADA Amendments Act that restored the original intent of Congress and clarified the definition of "disability" to encompass episodic conditions like epilepsy; and
WHEREAS, until the passage of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) in 2010, people with epilepsy could be denied coverage for pre-existing conditions. In 2005, nearly 36% of people with epilepsy were refused coverage; and
WHEREAS, National Epilepsy Awareness Month aims to encourage people to learn more about the condition, its symptoms, and how to support people living with epilepsy.
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Cook County Board of Commissioners recognizes the Month of November as National Epilepsy Awareness Month
end