Purple Day is an International Epilepsy Awareness initiative created by Nova Scotia’s Cassidy Megan when she was 9 years old.
In June 2012, the Canadian government passed The Purple Day Act, declaring March 26, “Purple Day”, the official day for Epilepsy Awareness across Canada. The excitement spread and the entire month of March is now regarded as Epilepsy Awareness Month.
We invite you to get in on the fun while helping raise awareness by simply wearing purple or participating in #ThumbsUpforEpilepsy, holding a Purple Day event at your school or workplace such as a bake/jewelry sale, open mic/concert, run/walk/dance/skateathon, photobooth, paint/flower/terrarium night, and more – the possibilities are endless. Email us at info@epilepsyottawa.ca for details on how to get started setting up your own fundraiser.
Check out ideas for celebrating Purple Day 2022 on our
Epilepsy Awareness Month page.
Purple Day 2019
Thank you to everyone who joined us for Epilepsy Ottawa’s Purple Day Celebration on March 24, 2019! We’d also like to thank:
- Deputy Mayor Laura Dudas for presenting the 2019 Purple Day proclamation from the City of Ottawa
- MPP Jeremy Roberts for sharing his personal connection to epilepsy
- Ontario Trillium Foundation’s Andrea Porter and CHEO’s Dr. Asif Doja for helping us launch Clinic to Community for families with epilepsy in Eastern Ontario
- Our generous sponsors UCB Pharmaceutical and Eisai Limited
- Ottawa City Woodshop for creating and donating hand-crafted midway games
- VIA Rail and Ingenium — Canada’s Museums of Science and Innovation for their door-prize donations
- Epilepsie Outaouais for joining us so we could host families in both English and French.
Photos from Purple Day 2018