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 | FREE INFORMATION SESSION AND TAX CLINICS | February 22nd, 2012 |
| APPLY FOR SUMMER JOBS NOW | February 2nd, 2012 |
| APPLY FOR THE ADE ADEGBITE MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP BY APRIL 15, 2012 | January 27th, 2012 |
| 'THINKING ABOUT EPILEPSY PROGRAM' FOR GRADE 5 STUDENTS | January 19th, 2012 |
| NEURONTIN CLASS ACTION NOTICE IS NOT MEDICAL ADVICE | January 18th, 2012 |
| THE LINC STUDY | February 1st, 2012 |
| A GOOD NEWS POLICY CHANGE AFFECTING ADULT CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES | December 5th, 2011 |
| FINDING ANSWERS TO EVERYDAY LEGAL QUESTIONS | November 21st, 2011 |
| EPILEPSY PATIENTS HIT BY SUDDEN DRUG SHORTAGES | October 18th, 2011 |
| A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO PRINCE | November 30th, 2011 |
| SHORTAGE OF DILANTIN 30 MG | July 2nd, 2011 |
| NEW ID CARD FOR THOSE WHO DON'T DRIVE | June 13th, 2011 |
| GIFT WRAP CAMPAIGN 2011 | January 3rd, 2011 |
| INTERNATIONAL DAY OF DISABILITIES | December 7th, 2010 |
| RAISING AWARENESS AT DIVERSITY EVENT | November 23rd, 2010 |
| A WORLD OF EPILEPSY IN TORONTO | August 16th, 2010 |
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| | FREE INFORMATION SESSION AND TAX CLINICS
Come to the information session presented by the Canada Revenue Agency
Friday, March 2, 2012, taking place at Epilepsy Toronto
1:00- 3:00 p.m.
TAXES PREPARED AND FILED BY CHARTERED ACCOUNTANTS
Tuesday, March 20, 2012, taking at Epilepsy Toronto
6:00 - 9:00 p.m. (Register NOW - space is limited)
To qualify for this FREE service:
Your annual income cannot exceed $20,000 (single person household) and $30,000 (with spouse/dependents)
Make sure you bring:
• Social Insurance Number
• 2011 tax return form
• 2010 income tax return & Notice of Assessment
• All income and expenditure receipts
To sign up, call us at 416 964 9095 or e-mail rsmith@epilepsytoronto.org
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| | APPLY FOR SUMMER JOBS NOW
Many organizations are making hiring decisions before the end of March, so now is time to apply. Here are some good leads to help you secure a summer job.
Ontario Government Jobs
Full-time and temporary opportunites from May until Labour Day are available in a variety of work settings: office, outdoors and other unique locations. The wage is between $10.25-$11.10 per hour, depending on the job. http://goo.gl/oGAV6
Opportunites are also availbale through the many Ontario Public Service Ministries: Ontario Place, St. Lawrence Parks Commision, Ontario Science Centre, just to name a few. http://www.gojobs.gov.on.ca/SEP.asp
Ontario Camps Association (OCA): http://www.ontariocamps.ca/job_board
We're here to help
For more information about Epilepsy Toronto's full range of Employment Services, contact Nora Dobell, Employment Services Manager, noradobell@epilepsytoronto.org. | |
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| | APPLY FOR THE ADE ADEGBITE MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP BY APRIL 15, 2012
The Ade Adegbite Memorial Scholarship recognizes students with epilepsy who have overcome barriers and who continue to demonstrate resilience in coping with the challenges of epilepsy. The award of two scholarships of $1500 each, disbursed annually, is to assist students with epilepsy to achieve their academic goals.
To apply, mail or deliver completed application and submissions to Epilepsy Toronto by April 15th 2012, located at 468 Queen Street East, Suite 210, Toronto, ON, M5A 1T7.
Candidates who meet the eligibility criteria will be shortlisted and submitted to the selection committee. Successful applicants will be announced at Epilepsy Toronto’s Annual General Meeting and Conference on June 2nd, 2012.
Click to download the complete SCHOLARSHIP PACKAGE:
About Ade Adegbite: http://goo.gl/JRAOB
Scholarship Fact Sheet: http://goo.gl/y8zY9
Application Form: http://goo.gl/k3HTF
The Ade Adegbite Memorial Scholarship is administered by Epilepsy Toronto and supported by the Adegbite/Abrakasa Family.
For more information contact:
Epilepsy Toronto
Tel: 416 964 9095
Fax: 416 964 2492
Email: scholarship@epilepsytoronto.org
Your Support Makes a Difference for Students with Epilepsy
To support The Ade Adegbite Memorial Scholarship Fund, please make a secure online DONATION by clicking here: http://goo.gl/wo6f0
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| | 'THINKING ABOUT EPILEPSY PROGRAM' FOR GRADE 5 STUDENTS
Epilepsy Toronto's 'Thinking about Epilepsy Program' is a 45 minute interactive presentation to grade 5 students to help foster understanding about epilepsy among students and teachers and create safer and more sensitive schools for youth with epilepsy. Presenters deliver seizure first-aid training and debunk the common myths that contribute to stigma and negatively impact youth living with seizures. The program is provided for free to Toronto elementary schools.
Program Highlights:
The interactive 'Thinking about Epilepsy Program' is designed to correlate to Ontario's Science, Technology and Health curriculum.
Grade 5 Science Human Organ System
• Investigate the structure and function of the brain and nervous system
• Analyze the impact of human activities and technological innovations on
human health
• Describe some types of medical technology
• Demonstrate an understanding of the structure and function of the
human body
Grade 5 Health; Healthy Living
• Apply strategies to address personal safety and injury prevention
Teaching assessment materials include:
• Student Worksheet
• Teacher Guide
• Rubric
Book your presentation today!
Booking Form: http://goo.gl/XyREY
Toronto Public School Teacher's Package: http://goo.gl/Gp5vc
Epilepsy Toronto provides programs and services for the one out of 100 people living with epilepsy, as well as public outreach and awareness. If available, honourariums are always appreciated.
For more information contact:
Katie Lundy
Manager, Children's Education
E-mail: katie@epilepsytoronto.org
Phone: (416) 964-9095
The 'Thinking about Epilepsy Program' is made possible through a partnership with the Ontario Trillium Foundation. | |
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| | NEURONTIN CLASS ACTION NOTICE IS NOT MEDICAL ADVICE
atients who have been prescribed Neurontin ® should know that there is a class action lawsuit. This lawsuit does not include generic gabapentin. Patients who have been prescribed Neurontin ® should not stop taking the drug, but should talk to their physician if they have any questions or concerns.
Background:
The Ontario Superior Court of Justice has ordered the law firm of Siskinds LLP to distribute notice of a certification of a class action lawsuit to epilepsy organizations in Canada for distribution to their members in order to inform anyone using the anticonvulsant under the brand name of Neurontin ® of the existence of this class action lawsuit. Individuals who use generic gabapentin are not included in the class action lawsuit. In order to accommodate this request we have posted the notice on our website. Please be advised that the Court has noted that the notice does not constitute medical advice. The Court has not at this time made any determination of the validity of the claims made by the plaintiffs. The Court has also warned that patients who have been prescribed Neurontin ® should consult with their physicians if they have any questions with respect to their medical condition and should not stop taking Neurontin ® without consulting with their health care professional.
Click to read the class action notice: www.classaction.ca/CMSFiles/PDF/Pharmaceutical/Neurontin/Notice_of_Certification_-_final_version.pdf | |
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| | THE LINC STUDY
Researchers are recruitiing 3,500 people living with or who know someone living with a neurological condition for The LINC Study. This national study is designed to help understand the daily impact of living with a neurological condition.
The LINC Study will involve three parts, with recruitment for the first part, "A Snapshot in Time", currently open. This part of the study will focus on surveying in-depth 3,500 Canadians living with a neurological condition.
The LINC Study is open to anyone who lives in Canada, is 17-years or older and lives with a neurological condition, or is a parent of a child with a neurological condition from five to 16 years of age. *Note: The survey will close on July 1, 2012.
For more information on The LINC Study, click visit the NHCC website: http://www.mybrainmatters.ca/en/linc-study
About Neurological Heath Chartities Canada (NHCC)
The NHCC is a group of neurological health charities coming together to collaborate as Neurological Health Charities Canada (NHCC). The coalition is actively engaged in driving policy at all levels of government. | |
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| | A GOOD NEWS POLICY CHANGE AFFECTING ADULT CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES
A note from our friends at Income Security Advocacy Centre:
A recent court decision has determined that adult children with disabilities whose parents are receiving child support should not have the child support counted as income for the purposes of eligibility for ODSP.
We’ve prepared a fact sheet to explain how this court decision has affected the government’s policies and to let people in this situation know what to expect over the coming months.
This is a big victory for people in this situation. There will be some people who were not previously eligible for ODSP who will become eligible, and others whose benefits should stop being reduced by the amount of the child support.
Note that the new policy includes a separate annual income reporting requirement for child support payments, some aspects of which remain unclear. While the court decision indicates that only payments made directly to or for the benefit of the child are considered income to the child, the new reporting forms appear to ask about how the entire child support payment is used.
We are working on clarifying some outstanding questions about this new reporting requirement. We will have English and French versions of the fact sheet on our website: www.incomesecurity.org | |
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| | FINDING ANSWERS TO EVERYDAY LEGAL QUESTIONS
CLEO is pleased to announce the launch of Your Legal Rights www.yourlegalrights.on.ca – a new online source of legal information for people across Ontario.
Your Legal Rights is the new face of CLEONet, CLEO's highly successful legal information portal.
For tenants who don't know what steps to take when they have repair problems their landlord refuses to fix, parents who are separating and have questions about custody and access, or workers worried about what will happen to their benefits while they're on pregnancy leave, Your Legal Rights has free, practical, and easy-to-find legal information.
New features include Common Questions to help direct people to the information they need and an interactive map of key legal and social services throughout the province. Still available are the popular news and events listings on legal issues and access to justice.
Your Legal Rights is a project of CLEO (Community Legal Education Ontario / Éducation juridique communautaire Ontario) and is funded by the Law Foundation of Ontario. For close to 40 years, CLEO has worked to help people who face barriers to participating in Ontario’s justice system by providing them with the information they need to understand and exercise their legal rights. | |
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| | A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO PRINCE
A very special thank you to Prince for the 10 free tickets to his show last Saturday. The 10 lucky Epilepsy Toronto members who received the tickets really enjoyed themselves at the concert!
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| | SHORTAGE OF DILANTIN 30 MG
Pfizer is contacting health care professionals, including pharmacists, about a shortage of DILANTIN 30 mg. According to Pfizer, this product shortage is due to a manufacturing issue and not the result of any performance or safety concerns. The company expects DILANTIN 30 mg to be available to patients by early July.
DILANTIN is a prescription medicine used to treat tonic-clonic (grand mal) seizures, complex partial (psychomotor or temporal lobe) seizures, and to prevent and treat seizures that happen during or after brain surgery. The following DILANTIN formulations are still available through normal channels.
* DILANTIN INFATABS® (Phenytoin Tablets, USP) 50 mg
* DILANTIN-125® (Phenytoin Oral Suspension, USP) 125 mg
* DILANTIN® (Extended Phenytoin Sodium Capsules, USP) 100 mg
Contact your physician if you use this product and please keep in mind that any change to your therapy should be done only at the direction of your physician.
If you are affected by this shortage, we would like to hear from you. Please contact Lise Schofield, Director, Communications at lschofield@epilepsytoronto.org. You can also contact Pfizer Medical Information at 1-800-438-1985.
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| | NEW ID CARD FOR THOSE WHO DON'T DRIVE
Ontario is introducing a new photo card that will provide government-issued identification to more than 1.5 million Ontarians who do not drive.
The Ontario photo card will make it easier for non-drivers to perform everyday transactions such as cashing a cheque or returning merchandise to a store. The voluntary card will be available this summer to individuals 16 years of age and over who do not hold a driver’s licence.
Individuals may apply for the photo card at 20 select ServiceOntario centres in late July. Applicants will be required to provide original identity documents that prove legal name, date of birth and signature. Applicants must be non-driving residents of Ontario, 16 years of age and over.
The photo card will cost $35 and will be valid for five years.
For more details, visit Ministry of Transport at http://www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/dandv/driver/photo-card.shtml#3 or contact Rosie Smith, Director, Adult Services at rsmith@epilepsytoronto.org. | |
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| | GIFT WRAP CAMPAIGN 2011
We thank all of the shoppers who stopped by our Gift Wrap Campaign tables in the city malls to have us wrap their gifts. Your donations mean a great deal and thanks to you we had great success with our Gift Wrap efforts.
We also send out a huge thanks to our volunteers, without whom we wouldn't even have a Gift Wrap Campaign. We truly appreciate your time and efforts and couldn't do it without you.
Our Gift Wrap Campaign, held in major malls across the GTA is a wonderful way to keep epilepsy in the public eye while raising much needed funds. And the best part is ... you walk away with a very specially wrapped gift! See you next year and thanks again. | |
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| | INTERNATIONAL DAY OF DISABILITIES
The poetry of Epilepsy Toronto members Maralyn Allen, Bruce Hilliard and Ade Adegbite was honoured at the recent International Day of People with Disabilities held at Variety Village on December 7th. The event also included some of our other members, such as Ellen Burns, who came out to display their art and join in the festivities.
Each year, the Mayor of Toronto proclaims the day in accordance with the United Nations' International Day of Persons with Disabilities. The United Nations' annual observance is based on the goal of full and equal enjoyment of human rights and participation in society by persons with disabilities. The UN theme for 2010 is "Keeping the promise: Mainstreaming disability in the Millennium Development Goals towards 2015 and beyond".
This annual event is a time to celebrate local, unsung heroes, hear poets read their work and view the work of local artists. We were so proud of our members and their poems and their art. It was a great day and we're already looking for to next year's event!
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| | RAISING AWARENESS AT DIVERSITY EVENT
This week Epilepsy Toronto participated in the third annual Multi-Faith and Diversity Day at Etobicoke General Hospital. It provided us with an excellent opportunity to share information about ET’s programs and services, raise awareness about epilepsy and Epilepsy Toronto and network with other agencies.
The event was attended by staff from various community agencies, faith-based organizations (Muslim, Catholic, Adventist, Mormons, Buddhism etc), student nurses from Humber College, hospital staff and visitors.
Epilepsy Toronto looks forward to opportunities like this to bring epilepsy information to Toronto's diverse community and connect with medical personnel. Contact us at rsmith@epilepsytoronto.org for more information on our diversity program. | |
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| | A WORLD OF EPILEPSY IN TORONTO
Stigmas surrounding epilepsy can be found around the world and these stigmas may be preventing individuals with epilepsy in Toronto from accessing the services and support that Epilepsy Toronto provides. These services include counseling, employment support, advocacy and education with the goal of helping people with epilepsy live well.
In order to remove this invisible barrier, a new Diversity Outreach Campaign has been undertaken at Epilepsy Toronto. The campaign has the aim of reaching out to persons with epilepsy and their families in communities of diversity in order to identify their priorities and to determine the best approach to address these priorities.
Epilepsy Toronto's Diversity Outreach Coordinator explains that “Due to language and cultural barriers, individuals with epilepsy in diverse populations might not have access to our services. We are aiming to identify the needs and priorities of people within these communities in order to determine how Epilepsy Toronto can be as accessible and supportive as possible to the people in Toronto who come from all over the world”
In order to do this Epilepsy Toronto is holding focus groups, creating partnerships within the community and doing extensive outreach. With the current outreach efforts, Epilepsy Toronto is ensuring that it will continue to be a beacon of hope and strength for those who find themselves facing the challenges that can arise when living with epilepsy.
If you have any questions or comments or are interested in participating in this campaign contact diversity@epilepsytoronto.org.
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