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Senator Jay Costa:  Thank you very much, Mr. President.  Mr. President, I arise today and asked my colleagues to support the resolution which would designate March 26 as Epilepsy Awareness Day here in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.  Mr. President, as I stated before, epilepsy affects more than 200,000 Pennsylvanians and their families.  And the fact is, that one in 26 people will develop epilepsy in their lifetime.  As some of my colleagues know, epilepsy is a seizure disorder and is characterized by recurring seizure events.  The good news, Mr. President, is that there are many dedicated individuals and many groups working to find a cure to overcome the challenges posed by epilepsy.  The Epilepsy Foundation, Mr. President, and its affiliates work very, very hard to assure that those who have epilepsy and their families are able to participate in life’s experiences.

Fortunately, over the past several years, this General Assembly has supported resources to allow the work of the Foundations across this Commonwealth to do the work that they do.  Unfortunately, Mr. President, this year we find ourselves in a position where our budget, the Administration, the Governor has recommended zero funding for the Epilepsy Foundation or epilepsy support services line item.  The funding that is provided through these groups is used for technical assistance, for training and support of many individuals including school nurses and emergency responders so they can better recognize and be able to react when they see a student or patient dealing with a seizure issue.

Mr. President, the State’s authorization or appropriation is also used for patient education and for public awareness and information and referral services for children and their families, and this year is the 40th anniversary of the Epilepsy Foundation, which is, as I said, dedicated to serving the needs of Pennsylvania families and they have worked hard to make a difference.  And, Mr. President, they have made a difference.  In fact, the Foundation has partnered with our State Department of Health since 1994.  Together they have tried to further prevent and create prevention and control mechanisms through education and awareness programs.

Mr. President, today I am pleased to offer this resolution today that designates March 26, 2013 as Epilepsy Awareness Day here in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and I would ask all my colleagues for their support and continued support for the work of the Epilepsy Foundation across this Commonwealth.  Thank you, Mr. President.