Purple Day
Raising awareness about a condition that affects millions worldwide is vital in promoting understanding, education, and compassion towards those living with epilepsy.
Purple Day is a grassroots celebration that is aimed at raising worldwide awareness of epilepsy, a condition that affects over 65 million people globally. As a neurological condition that causes seizures and often begins in childhood, epilepsy is sometimes misunderstood which can lead to difficulty in social situations. The idea of Purple Day is to provide education to those who don’t understand the condition, as well as for those who have epilepsy to recognize that they are not alone.
Because lavender is the international color for epilepsy and is also a color that symbolizes solitude, it only made sense that purple would be the color of choice for this important day of recognition and awareness!
How to Celebrate Purple Day
Celebrating this day is not only fun, but is also important in raising awareness for this challenging neurological disorder. Try out these ideas or be creative with others ideas to help the cause:
Wear Purple
Obviously, one of the easiest things to do to honor the celebration of Purple Day is to pull something purple out of the closet and put it on. A purple shirt, dress, pants or hat will certainly do the trick. Or try dressing in purple from head to toe!
Consider stepping outside the box with purple eyeshadow, purple face glitter or purple lipstick. For those who are more committed to the cause, purple hair dye could make a huge impact.
People who would like to celebrate by wearing an official purple t-shirt for the day, can access a Purple Day t-shirt on the official website.
Organize a Purple Day Event
Host a special coffee morning, organize a quiz night or hold a murder mystery evening in support of Purple Day. (These can all be done in person or virtually.) The Epilepsy Society of the UK offers easy-to-use resources for gathering friends, family, and coworkers for an awareness event.
For more creative ideas, consider what people have done in the past in support of Purple Day. Some have raised funds for the charity by dying their hair purple, shaving their head completely, scaling 1000 flights of steps or giving up something they love for the month. Others have organized a fun run, walk, or cycle (26 miles is perfect on the 26th!) to raise awareness for those who live with epilepsy.
Alternatively, dress in purple and hold a purple-themed fund-raising event in aid of either EANS, The Anita Kaufman Foundation or any other charity supporting epilepsy awareness.
Learn About Epilepsy
Head over to the local library to check out some books that will provide interesting, educational information about the condition of epilepsy. The internet also offers a significant number of resources provided to raise awareness about this condition.
Even just reading through Cassidy Megan’s story can help folks become better aware and more understanding about the challenges and victories that are involved with this condition. Anything that can be done to learn more about epilepsy and tell others about Purple Day is a great way to honor this day.
Be Creative with Purple
It’s never too early to start sharing with children about epilepsy–especially if someone they know might be dealing with its effects. For families or school teachers, Purple Day is an ideal time to have kids wear purple.
But, more than that, it’s a good chance to dip into fun activities that give opportunities to share what the day is all about. Try these crafts and activities on for size:
- In art class, explore the wide variety of shades of purple by creating basic geometric shapes and then mixing purple paint with whites and blacks.
- For a less messy version, pull out all of the purple shades of construction paper and let the kids use their safety scissors to cut out shapes and combine them into art.
- Create a purple-fizz volcano science experiment by using baking soda and white vinegar as well as food coloring in red and blue. Of course, it should probably be attempted outside or in an area that allows for easy clean up!
Have a Purple-Themed Dinner
Purple foods can be hard to come by, but it’s possible to have a nutritious meal with (mostly) the color purple. Not only are they fun to look at, but purple foods are packed full of nutritional value!
What’s on the menu for Purple Day? Well, eggplant might be the obvious choice for the main dish, while purple sweet potatoes or purple carrots might be another option (albeit a bit exotic and maybe harder to find). Try a purple cabbage slaw or purple kale (also called redbor) salad. Then round things out by serving a purple fruit salad using blackberries, purple grapes, blueberries, and purple acai berries.
For those who aren’t cooking an entire meal, purple yogurt (colored with berries) could be a fun snack. For beverages, consider options such as grape juice, grape KoolAid, or grape Fanta soda.
Become a Purple Ambassador
Anybody interested in raising awareness for epilepsy and supporting Purple Day can become an ‘Ambassador of Purple’. This role involves wearing purple and spreading awareness of epilepsy in the local community and to friends and family.
Purple Day Guiness Book of World Records
In 2017, Anita Kauffman, one of the original supporters of the day, initiated the setting of a Guinness World Record for the largest ever epilepsy training session. The event was combined with the Purple Day Walk and occurred at Mall of America in Bloomington, Minnesota!
History of Purple Day
Cassidy Megan, a nine-year-old from Canada, founded Purple Day in 2008 when she was motivated by her own struggle with epilepsy. Cassidy’s efforts were supported by the Epilepsy Association of The Maritimes (EAM) of Canada, as well as the Anita Kaufmann Foundation of New York, and the day eventually became an international event.
In fact, Purple Day’s popularity grew quickly! The celebration in 2009, the second year of its existence, brought at least 100,00 students, 95 workplaces, and 116 politicians out to participate in the day’s festivities.
From there the day simply kept growing. It’s hard to believe that only 10 years later, in 2019, Purple Day had made its way to Disney World! Sponsored by the Epilepsy Foundation of Central Florida, Purple Day shared the magic with many participants. The day’s founder, Cassidy Megan, made a special appearance (wearing a purple evening gown, of course) and became good friends with Mickey and Minnie Mouse.
Now, Purple Day is celebrated on every continent and in over 100 countries, in places such as India, Australia, South Africa, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Of notable importance, however, is the fact that the only nation whose government officially recognizes this day currently is Canada, which was put into effect with the Purple Day Act on June 28, 2012.
Understanding Epilepsy: Facts That Challenge Myths and Raise Awareness
Epilepsy affects millions of people worldwide, yet it remains widely misunderstood.
These important facts highlight how common the condition is, how treatable it can be, and why better awareness, access to care, and education are essential to improving the lives of those living with epilepsy.
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Epilepsy Is One of the World’s Most Common Serious Neurological Conditions
The World Health Organization estimates that around 50 million people worldwide live with epilepsy, making it one of the most common serious neurological disorders globally.
Nearly 80% of those affected reside in low- and middle-income countries, where access to diagnosis and treatment is often limited.
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Most People With Epilepsy Could Live Seizure-Free With Basic Treatment
According to the World Health Organization, up to 70% of people with epilepsy could become seizure‑free with appropriate use of low‑cost antiseizure medicines.
Yet in many low‑income countries, the “treatment gap” can exceed 75%, meaning the majority of people receive no effective care despite the availability of inexpensive drugs.
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Epilepsy Has Been Misunderstood Since Antiquity
For much of history, epilepsy was viewed as a “sacred disease” caused by supernatural forces, which fueled stigma and social exclusion.
In the 5th century BCE, Hippocrates argued in “On the Sacred Disease” that epilepsy arises from natural causes in the brain, not divine punishment, making him one of the first to frame it as a medical condition rather than a spiritual one.
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There Are Many Different Types of Seizures, Not Just the Convulsive Kind
Modern classifications recognize dozens of seizure types, and not all involve convulsions or loss of consciousness.
Focal aware seizures, for example, may cause unusual sensations, emotions, or movements while a person remains awake, which can be easily overlooked or misinterpreted as daydreaming, anxiety, or behavioral problems.
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Epilepsy Often Begins in Childhood and Affects Learning and Social Life
In the United States, about 470,000 children and adolescents under 18 years are living with active epilepsy.
Beyond the seizures themselves, studies show higher rates of learning difficulties, attention problems, and social challenges among children with epilepsy, which can affect school performance and peer relationships if not properly supported.
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The Color Purple Has Deep Historical Associations With Solitude and Spirituality
Long before it became linked with epilepsy awareness, purple carried cultural meanings of introspection, spirituality, and solitude.
Because purple dye was rare and costly in antiquity, it was often reserved for elites and religious figures who lived apart from ordinary society, which helped cement its association with both dignity and a certain social distance.
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Purple Fruits and Vegetables Contain Brain‑ Relevant Antioxidants
Many naturally purple foods, such as blueberries, blackberries, purple grapes, and purple cabbage, are rich in anthocyanins, a class of flavonoid pigments with strong antioxidant and anti‑inflammatory properties.
Experimental and epidemiological research suggests these compounds may support cognitive function and protect brain cells from oxidative stress, although they are not a treatment for epilepsy.
Purple Day FAQs
What are the main types of seizures, and how do they differ from each other?
Clinicians broadly classify seizures as focal or generalized. Focal seizures start in one area of the brain and may cause unusual sensations, movements, or behaviors, sometimes with preserved awareness and sometimes with impaired awareness.
Generalized seizures involve both sides of the brain from the outset and include absence seizures (brief staring spells), tonic‑clonic seizures (stiffening then rhythmic jerking), myoclonic seizures (sudden brief jerks), atonic seizures (sudden loss of muscle tone), and others. The type of seizure a person has helps guide diagnosis, safety planning, and treatment decisions. [1]
What should someone do if they see a person having a tonic‑clonic (convulsive) seizure in public?
First aid for a convulsive seizure focuses on protecting the person from injury and supporting breathing. Epilepsy organizations advise staying calm, easing the person to the ground, and gently turning them onto their side when possible.
Anything tight around the neck, such as a tie or scarf, should be loosened, and hard or sharp objects should be moved away. It is important not to put anything in the person’s mouth and not to restrain their movements.
Emergency services should be called if the seizure lasts more than about 5 minutes, if another seizure starts immediately, if the person is injured or pregnant, or if it is a first known seizure.
Is epilepsy always caused by head injury or genetic problems, or can it develop without a clear reason?
Epilepsy can arise from many different causes, and in a significant share of people, no clear cause is identified.
Known causes include structural problems in the brain, such as stroke, traumatic brain injury, brain infections, developmental brain abnormalities, and tumors, as well as genetic conditions that affect how brain cells work. Metabolic or immune disorders can also contribute.
However, the World Health Organization reports that for about half of people with epilepsy worldwide, no specific cause can be found despite thorough evaluation, which is why epilepsy is often described as a group of disorders rather than a single disease. [2]
How common is epilepsy worldwide, and does it affect certain age groups more than others?
Epilepsy is one of the most common neurological conditions globally. The World Health Organization estimates that around 50 million people worldwide live with epilepsy, and nearly 80 percent of them live in low‑ and middle‑income countries.
The condition can begin at any age, but incidence is highest in childhood and older adulthood, partly because of causes such as birth injury, infections, and stroke that are more frequent at these ages.
Despite its frequency, treatment gaps are large in many regions, and a high proportion of people who could benefit from medication do not receive it. [3]
Can people with epilepsy live normal lives, including working, studying, and having families?
Many people with epilepsy lead full lives, including attending school, working, having relationships, and raising children. With appropriate diagnosis and treatment, the majority can achieve good seizure control, and some may eventually become seizure‑free.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention note that employment and educational outcomes are strongly influenced by social attitudes, discrimination, and access to care rather than epilepsy alone.
Reasonable workplace and school accommodations, consistent medication, and open communication can help reduce barriers so that epilepsy, by itself, does not prevent someone from pursuing typical life goals.
Is every seizure a sign of epilepsy, or can someone have a seizure without having the condition?
A single seizure does not automatically mean a person has epilepsy. Epilepsy is generally defined as a tendency to have recurrent unprovoked seizures, such as two or more unprovoked seizures occurring more than 24 hours apart, or one unprovoked seizure with a high risk of further seizures.
Seizures can also occur in other situations, such as high fever in young children, acute head injury, alcohol or drug withdrawal, or severe metabolic disturbances.
In those cases, treating the underlying problem may prevent further seizures, and a diagnosis of epilepsy may not be appropriate. A neurologist typically reviews the circumstances, medical tests, and risk factors before making a diagnosis. [4]
What are some common myths about epilepsy that experts say are inaccurate?
Medical organizations consistently challenge several long‑standing myths about epilepsy.
Common misconceptions include the belief that seizures are contagious, that people with epilepsy cannot work or attend school, and that objects should be placed in the mouth during a seizure.
Experts emphasize that epilepsy is not infectious, that many people with well‑controlled seizures can safely work, drive where permitted, and study, and that putting something in the mouth during a seizure is dangerous and unnecessary.
Another myth is that epilepsy always involves convulsions; in reality, many seizures involve brief staring or subtle movements that can be mistaken for daydreaming or clumsiness. Correcting these myths helps reduce stigma and supports inclusion.
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