EpilepsyUTAH: March 2012

Saturday, March 31, 2012

Purple Day Utah 2012: Reviewed

Family, Friends, Epilepsy Warriors

Purple Day Utah was, in a word, amazing. We must first thank everyone who helped set things up, participate and attend, as well take down. The Epilepsy Association of Utah would not be the way it is today without YOU!

The Salt Lake Tribune features Brittany M. and others sending off balloons for Epilepsy Awareness in Utah

Did you know that a photo of the Launch made it to the front page of the Utah section of the Tribune? So exciting! Thanks goes out to our new board members, Angela and Greg Green for sharing it with them. We are also grateful that the weather was fairly cooperative. It might have been a bit disastrous to launch those balloons in blistery, windy, wet weather!

Lift Off!

It was a special moment when we witnessed those balloons raise up into the sky. It was seemingly symbolic - the way that we let go of them and watched them go higher and higher into the atmosphere - almost as if we let go of any problems that may have been weighing us down at that time. It was a time to reflect and remember, a time to renew how we will continue to wear purple proudly. By so doing, we can promote awareness, and education of what Epilepsy is and how to cope with it.

Caroline's Spine Performs!

Soon afterward, the event of the evening began to unfold. Jeremy Anderson started off the night with his comedic talents, which then wittingly led to Caroline's Spine performance. They are an awesome group to listen to, as well as observe. They put passion behind what they play and the audience could feel it. During the second half of their performance, lead singer, Jimmy Newquist invited the kids up on stage. They loved it. We saw them jamming out to Spine's music, following the beat of the drums and fast guitar strums. While hearing their top song, "Sullivan," live gave us all chills, another moment to remember was when the band had everyone sing "Over the Rainbow." It turns out that Newquist and Caroline's Spine will be returning soon to Utah.

Jimmy Newquist plays "Over the Rainbow" while the kids and audience sings along.

We are so very excited at the prospect of seeing them, hearing their music, and feeling their energy. Thanks so much for coming to help with purple day, Caroline's Spine!

Saturday, March 24, 2012

Purple Day Utah: Faces of Utah Epilepsy

As International Epilepsy Awareness day rapidly approaches, the Epilepsy Association of Utah has compiled a video representing the many individuals in Utah living with Epilepsy. These faces are young, and not so young, brothers, sisters, husbands, and wives, they are the people we pass on the street everyday. They are as varied as the sands on a beach, and as lovely as the spring flowers now peeking from the thawing ground throughout Utah. Epilepsy awareness grows from a small seed, help us cultivate it and spread the word: You are not alone!

Thanks to our President, Kris Hansen for her hard work on this video.

Friday, March 16, 2012

Purple Day Balloon Launch 2012

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

PURPLE DAY BALLOON LAUNCH SCHEDULED

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, March 13, 2012 – In its efforts to help increase global and local Epilepsy awareness, the Epilepsy Association of Utah (EAU) will celebrate National Purple Day, held annually on March 26th, by holding a Purple Balloon Launch in Murray City. Each of the hundreds of balloon will be filled & tied with thoughts, hopes and memories of everyone, including the 50 million affected worldwide and as many as 150,000 from Utah; and then, released as a symbol of freedom and independence while each purple balloon finds its way into the world.

Date:     Monday March 26th
Time:     6:00pm
Place:    Murray City Hall Building
    5025 South State Street
    Murray, UT

Those interested in attending should meet at Murray City Hall at 6:00pm to prepare for the balloon launch. Admission is free and all ages are encouraged to participate. More information regarding this and other scheduled Purple Day events can be found on the Epilepsy Association of Utah’s website: www.epilepsyut.org

About Purple Day
National Purple Day was created by the idea of a 9-year-old girl, Cassidy Megan, motivated by her own struggles with Epilepsy. Cassidy's goal was and continues to be encouraging people to talk about Epilepsy while dismissing the myths and assuring those with seizures - they are not alone. Now every year on March 26th, people all around the world are invited to wear purple and involve themselves in events in promotional events supporting Epilepsy awareness.

About the Epilepsy Association of Utah
The Epilepsy Association of Utah provides awareness, education, support services and advocacy for and in behalf of all those dealing with the many challenges of Epilepsy/seizure disorders. More information can be found on their website @ www.epilepsyut.org

Friday, March 9, 2012

A Purple Jolt for Utah's Purple Day!

The Epilepsy Association of Utah proudly presents "Purple Jolt 2012 Benefit Rock Concert." The performance follows the Purple Day Balloon Launch at 6:00 pm, held at Murray City Building. The group who will be performing is Caroline's Spine, with special guest Jeremy Anderson.

About Caroline's Spine:

Spine is an alternative American Rock band who has toured the United States and Europe with popular performing artists such as Aerosmith, Nickleback, as well as Kiss.
Spine is a RIAA-certified Gold and has achieve four "Top 40" rock radio hits.
Spine's music has been used by well-known TV networks such as ESPN, MTV, and Disney.
Spine is, as noted by Yamaha Music, "...one of the top 5 unsigned bands in America."

The Top Five Caroline's Spine Songs (via iTunes):

Sullivan
Attention Please
You and Me
Nothing to Prove
The Light Inside

Sullivan and You and Me both come from Spine's 1997 album entitled "Monsoon." Sullivan is reportedly the band's most popular song, due to it's accessible melody and compelling subject matter related to WWII. You and Me starts out with a slower softer beat than Sullivan, but then turns to quicker tempo and heavier rock, it's a great song to jam out to and it seems to resonate with the frustrations rough relationships can sometimes bring.

Two years later, Spine released "Attention Please," where the tracks Attention Please and Nothing to Prove are heard. Both tracks received high ratings on the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart at #30 and #23, respectively. Nothing to Prove is probably a personal favorite of mine and all that I can say about it is take a listen to it below. Attention Please, on the other hand, has a deep grungy sound whom's chorus seems to question life's train and where, as passengers, we are going. That idea seems to ring true for a lot of people who deal with various problems, including seizures and Epilepsy. Sometimes we wonder why it is that we have certain issues to deal with and it is, indeed, a fair question. Until we find out why and where we are going, we can do our best to hold on for the ride.

The last, but definitely not the least, of the top five tracks is The Light Inside from "Work It Out." It wouldn't surface until nearly a decade after Spine's aforementioned album, "Attention Please." Nevertheless, the track definitely earned it's place among the top tracks of Spine's music. The music is heavy with awesome beats with deep enlightening lyrics that question, and at the same time seem to encourage, the listener's ability to go on and continue to do their best despite difficulties they might experience.

Can't wait to see the band in action? Well, the countdown is on and the concert is just days away, but until then, feel free to check out this video, from YouTube, of the group singing a song I particularly favor, Nothing to Prove.