IE News Magazine

I am sure that the moment you picked up this issue, you realised that something was different! To celebrate the 1st African Epilepsy Congress, we decided to include a special report on IBE in the African region. So you will be able to enjoy reading about the work that many of our 20 members in Africa are undertaking. The magazine is also full of other news and articles. The IBE Management Committee spent a few days in Tokyo, attending a special Memorial Symposium on the anniversary of the earthquake and tsunami. We also met with the local association and left the city with some wonderful memories of the kindness and dedication of everyone we met in Japan. You can also enjoy a report from the 9th Asian & Oceanian Epilepsy Congress in Manila, which was attended by over 1,400 delegates, who enjoyed an excellent meeting and a wonderful welcome from the local people. Recently, the latest projects for funding under the Promising Strategies Program were selected. In this issue we introduce you to half of the new projects. We have so many reports to share with you that we have had to hold the second half until the next issue! Issue 1 [...]

ISSUE 4 – 2011 In this issue of IE News I wish, firstly, to congratulate the winners of the IE News Jubilee Award. The winning article, written by two distinguished Brazilian professionals, shows us the risk of sudden and social death regarding epilepsy. The judging panel was unanimous in considering the article, D Side of Epilepsy, as an excellent report on very interesting research. In congratulating the winning authors, Dr Fernandes and Dr Li, I would also like to take the opportunity to thank all those who submitted articles and reports to the Jubilee Award competition. In future issues of the magazine, we hope to publish some of these other entries. We are also delighted to inform you about several activities carried out in a number of countries across Europe in connection with European Epilepsy Day, including important meetings with a number of MEPs in the European Parliament in Strasbourg. Issue 4 - 2011 From Canada, Mary Secco sent us a report on two important educational initiatives that were developed as a result of research findings and which are being carried out successfully in Canadian schools. These two programs inform younger children about epilepsy and encourage older children to consider neurology [...]

ISSUE 3 – 2011 The third issue of IE News 2011 features an extensive report on the roundtable event held in Brussels in November at the European Parliament. The meeting was attended by a number of MEPs, by the IBE/ILAE Epilepsy Advocacy Europe Joint Task Force, and by a large number of other interested participants. During the event, sporting heroes with epilepsy gave personal testimonies of life and sporting successes. In October in Tbilisi in Georgia, an important demonstration project of the Global Campaign Against Epilepsy came to a close after four years of work, with a 2-day round of activities. Participants included the main authorities of IBE/ILAE, representatives of the WHO, members of the local authorities, as well as several politicians. Issue 3 - 2011 Meanwhile, Executive Director of IBE, Mrs Ann Little, travelled to Sofia in Bulgaria to present in the Bulgarian Parliament, during a workshop meeting dedicated to promoting the European Declaration on Epilepsy. We also have hints about initiatives in Indonesia, Mauritius and a specail article from Nepal. As always, a pearl is the story of IBE form 1993-1997 prepared for us by Harry Meinardi. Finally, we include the departure of a very good friend of IBE, [...]

The second issue of IE News 2011 includes interesting issues for our readers. We are still excited by the recent celebration of the IBE Jubilee in Rome, and you will find some news on this in the magazine. We also have to suggest you to read an interesting research report on how stigma, that surrounds epilepsy, can have a negative impact simply by use of the word “epileptic” to describe a person with epilepsy and to join us in the campaign “Stop saying epileptic”. During the month of September the IBE achieved two historical successes in the field of epilepsy, the first concerning the “European Written Declaration on Epilepsy”, which was approved on the 15th September in the European Parliament carrying the signatures of 459 Members of Parliament (MEPs), and after much concentrated hard work by IBE and ILAE member associations throughout Europe. Issue 2 - 2011 In parallel and independently, on the 29th September the “Strategic Plan for Epilepsy” was approved and signed during the PAHO Annual Assembly of the Ministries of Health in Washington DC. Both of these initiatives represent milestones in Europe and in the Americas, which will be a challenge for IBE and the Global Campaign Against [...]

In the two years that have passed since the General Assembly that was held in Budapest in 2009, the objectives of IE News have essentially remained the same. In other words, it is an important medium of news and information for all IBE members, the public, and people with epilepsy and their families. The newsletters provides the opportunity to relate the main activities of the International Executive Committee, presided over by Mike Glynn; to highlight the most important regional activities through its Sub-editors; to provide information about international and regional congresses; to present details on the activities of IBE’s working groups and Task Forces; as well allowing a platform to promote initiatives of high impact such as IBE’s star project, the Promising Strategies Program, in which many IBE members have been favored with financial support to develop initiatives. Issue 1 - 2011 We have had interviews with important figures in the world of epilepsy, including some IBE members. Of particular interest is the story in parallel of IBE’s history, written by Harry Meinardi, and the ILAE history by Ted Reynolds. We have tried to make the magazine contents entertaining, useful, original and well-designed – with a new layout introduced in the [...]

It has been a great and delightful summer here in the Southern Hemisphere, but it is now ending and, of course, the holiday season is also coming to a close. First of all I would like to welcome you to this new design of IE News. We have made a few changes that I hope you will like. In this first issue of the new look magazine, I would like to announce that we have some excellent material for our readers, including a special report on the first European Epilepsy Day, which was celebrated on the 14th February in the European Parliament. There are also reports on the congress in Melbourne last October, including the Outstanding Persons with Epilepsy awards. I would also like to congratulate Mrs Lynn Savill and Dr Simon Shorvon who have been honoured for their special dedication in the field of epilepsy. Still on the subject of awards, we highlight the winners of the Excellence in Journalism Awards, which have just been announced. Issue 4 - 2010 Harry Meinard is going to interest us with some further fascinating details about IBE’s history. It is very important to read reports about activities at national level around the world [...]

Dear Friends In this issue of IE News there is emphasis on the two congresses, in Cartagena and Porto, that have taken place since the last issue. The meeting in Cartagena was a huge success with more than 600 delegates attending. During the congress a very important meeting took place between representatives of the Global Campaign Against Epilepsy, including the co chairs Mike Glynn and Nico Moshé, and Dr Jorge Rodriguez, who is Chief of PAHO Regional Mental Health, Substance Abuse and Rehabilitation Unit. Dr Rodriguez had travelled from Washington DC to attend the congress. And I mustn’t forget the wonderful one-day programme organised by FIRE, IBE’s Full Member in Colombia. The European Conference on Epilepsy & Society took place in Porto at the end of August and the magazine also reports on publication of the WHO European Report on Epilepsy, which was launched by Dr Matt Muijen, WHO Regional Advisor for Europe, during the conference. In addition, we were very pleased to have Gay Mitchell, Member of the European Parliament, as a guest speaker. We also look to Melbourne and, if you are attending the 8th Asian & Oceanian Epilepsy Congress, you will have found this magazine in your delegate [...]

Dear Friends: In the Southern Hemisphere we are starting the rainy season and in Chile, two months after the terrible earthquake and its aftershocks, things are gradually beginning to improve for the many thousands of people who lost their homes. In this issue of IE News we have a lot of different and interesting articles. First of all there are the updates for the 12th European Conference on Epilepsy & Society in Porto and the 6th Latin American Epilepsy Congress in Cartagena de Indias. Since we are including the newsletter in the delegate bags of each of these meetings, it is possible that you are reading this message as you attend one of these important congresses. There is also the announcement of the projects selected to receive financial support under the latest round of the Promising Strategies Program. And, while we are on the subject of finances, could I send a gentle reminder to those who have yet to pay their membership dues for this year, that a donation to the Solidarity Fund, to allow us to support even more projects, would also be gratefully received when you pay your dues! Issue 2 - 2010 Another relevant issue relates to the [...]

Dear friends, I am very enthusiastic about this issue of IE-News. We have a lot of articles and reports. We can mention a nice piece of work coming form India prepared by Vinod Saxena analysing epilepsy and divorce in India, a complex and touching history. An article from the 2nd Eastern Mediterranean Epilepsy Congress in Dubai tells us about the important attendance of Prince Bandzile from the Kingdom of Swaziland. Another interesting article comes from the American Epilepsy Meeting 2009 in Boston with a report on the treatment gap session dictated by Dr Steven Schachter, Dr Patrick Kwan and Eric Hargis. Issue 1 - 2010 Our President Mike Glynn writes about the anti epilepsy Stigma Campaign and the removal of the E Word. We also have news from the Global Campaign Against Epilepsy with a report of the Chinese Demonstration Project and the launch of the Eastern Mediterranean Regional Report on epilepsy. Also in this issue of the magazine, Janet Mifsud has provided a report on the fourth EPICURE meeting, while Shunglon Lai tells us about a visit to Vietnam and how support will be provided in that country to encourage the creation of a new IBE member association. Best wishes [...]

Dear friends, There are several items that I would like to emphasize in this issue of IE News. In late November, there was an important meeting in Rome of the IBE International Executive Committee, dedicated to the task of considering and elaborating on IBE’s Long Term Strategy for the next 4 years. Included in discussion were the new Task Forces that are to be created by the President to address issues of importance. For 2010 eleven Promising Strategy projects were pre-selected for further consideration. This is the fourth round of this very worthwhile program and each year several new and creative proposals are submitted by member associations. We are including a report on results of the first Journalism Awards, a very successful joint initiative between IBE and UCB Pharma. Issue 4 - 2009 I know that all IBE members and supporters will be interested to read Philip Lee’s very original recounting of the birth of the candle as the IBE symbol. We are busy getting ready for 2010, when we will have our regional congresses and we include a short update on the programme for Porto. We hope to report on preparations for the regional congresses in the next issue. But [...]