Raise awareness

You can help reduce stigma

School can be overwhelming for children living with epilepsy.

Aside from worrying about seizures and the physical effects on the child, many children and their parents/guardians worry about a range of social, academic, and psychological factors that can impact their day-to-day activities. These worries often include concerns about being included and treated fairly, being free from harassment, and having the same opportunities to participate as everyone else. The psychological impacts arising from the stigma associated with epilepsy are a very real concern.

A child may be told they can’t go on a school camp because of their epilepsy, or that they can’t participate in swimming events. There are often unnecessary restrictions placed on a child, most likely in a bid to reduce risk or liability to the school, or fear.

Your school has an important role to play in helping to reduce stigma and increase understanding of epilepsy within your school community. By engaging in some simple activities, your school can have a profound impact on the child’s learning and overall experiences at school.

By raising awareness, your school can demonstrate that it understands epilepsy and provides a welcoming environment for all students.

What is important is to show that you are an inclusive school and that students with epilepsy feel supported.

What can schools do to help reduce stigma?

Here are some simple things you can do to raise awareness and help to reduce stigma. You can:

Use our classroom activities to teach students about epilepsy
Host a Make March Purple event to celebrate awareness about epilepsy. Register here to take part in our next event.
Hold a fundraiser of your own, whenever you like throughout the year.

Make March Purple

Purple is the official colour of epilepsy and March is the month when we recognise epilepsy and those who have the condition. Purple Day, on March 26 each year, is the culmination of Make March Purple and is the global campaign dedicated to increasing awareness about epilepsy.

Make March Purple aims to encourage people to talk about epilepsy and to remind those who live with seizures that they are supported. To support epilepsy awareness, we encourage you to ‘GO PURPLE’ to support and increase awareness and understanding of epilepsy.

What can you do to support Make March Purple and Purple Day?

Many schools choose to host a Make March Purple activity some time throughout the month of March, or on Purple Day specifically.

However, you are welcome to hold a Purple Day activity on any school day of the year. Purple clothes, purple hair, purple anything you want (maybe don’t paint the school building).

Schools can show their support by hosting a Make March Purple or Purple Day event – in fact, on any day of the year – and talk about epilepsy and raise valuable funds.

Here are some ideas:

Take on our Purple Muck Challenge and ‘muck’ your School Principal or your teachers – it’s fun!
Purple dress up day with a gold coin donation
Cupcake day
Creative hair day
A purple sport day
Buy merchandise or
Arrange a collection to donate to vital epilepsy services.

Explore the Make March Purple website

Australian Capital Territory 02 6287 4555
Queensland 07 3435 5000
South Australia / Northern Territory 1300 850 081
Tasmania 03 6344 6881
Victoria / New South Wales 1800 437 453
Western Australia 1300 660 880

Looking for support? Call the National Epilepsy Support Service on 1300 761 487 Monday - Friday