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Home My WebLink AboutDocumentation_Regular_Tab 5B_10/11/2001 COMMITTEE FOR EPILEPSY AWARENESS 6670 ROYAL PALM BLVD BLDG. K APT. 302 MARGATE, FLORIDA 33063-2189 Jerry Pizza, Chairman Bill Naulty, Secretary (954) 984-8319 (561) 798-2798 October, 2001 Dear ��t4 The month of November is"NATIONAL EPILEPSY AWARENESS MONTH". The Committee for Epilepsy Awareness would greatly appreciate your assistance in helping bring about an awareness of this disorder. Due to lack of correct information and an abundance of misinformation, people afflicted with Epilepsy have been discriminated against in all walks of life. It is our goal to remove the ancient myths, superstitions and prejudices associated with this disorder and educate people as to what Epilepsy is and what Epilepsy is not. Enclosed,please find a copy of our resolution. If your municipality participates in our awareness campaign,please send a copy of the resolution or proclamation to: Jerry Pizza—Chairman Committee for Epilepsy Awareness 6670 Royal Palth Blvd. Bldg. K. Apt. 302 Margate, Florida 33063-2189 Thank you in advance for your interest in and concern for people afflicted with Epilepsy. Sincerely, � .� / � Jerry Pizza Chairman Ccl.'1.. 1`:e'''. • C { lna n 1 oranc e ?•� .4 . z • lm ` :, 't,c fects about 2.5 million Americans, "I don't want anyone epsy � according to the Epilepsy Founda- y :• else to go through the t t 5 i:'': 'r is dedicated �: tion of South Florida. .• ' c t i Miami Reach Pizza,a former president of the living hell that I went mg public PROCLAMATION Essex`County Epilepsy Support „ - , ,,; �1 > campaign in 1986 after being dis- order u r; � placed from his job as a corrections JERRY PIZZA 1*;. { • E ._ • Asti.er . S ,,,�' sue: R MARGATE RESIDENT 3 ' � t officer. it i y ' BUTLER �. , �10° , `„ Diagosed with epilepsy at the +TAF+.,`k; R ° , '- rt" '� ,r `�,4, age of 12,Pizza often experiences anger, and that anger motivates .t�w?..,-..f a"&"�v r�.:'. $�b r as 2;; e Ci .,\.,P :.1 ,,,��,?e ;, petite mal seizures,in which pa- him to write each year. :fit. , P.e ,-,tebook compiling Jerry l ` '. ' ,.� ,i3 tients momentarily stare off into Pizza and associates from the p space as if they are daydreaming. 25-member support group in New • �'nual target list lies within m �, ; a ,�c� ` h on a nearby tarble. 4� s` " " In 1986,he experienced a sei- Jersey spread their awareness mes- „ es are all neatly written • N IEN �M lit zure episode while on the ob. sage throughout much of that 1�� nWn�e�NFss STUN m P Jg im Is encil,noting the date of i°'- .fit�• . , - While Pizza never hid his condi- state's northern regions through t g /. '1 ) k fa $, tion from his employers,"they real- billboards and newspaper adver- b flings All .425of them. �� ., '•t + i. a en have margin notes,in- _ . ` � E y. g,,„r,.sa.. ly •didn t know what epilepsy •was tisements. .A 3 r° dicating the ;„ i -'= n y`-" ' -`' or is or how it affects people,"he Pizza plans to do the same in • •'- date of reply. A START:Jerry Pizza holds a proclamation from Miami Beach says. Florida,where he has written to qk But it declaring November National Epilepsy Awareness Month.He wants Pizza was no longer allowed to several major newspapers in hopes "' 'r doesn't matter the entire state to participate.Staff photo/Susan Stocker work at the jail where he had been they will help promote the cam- 1•,. if one, two or an officer for 12years. paign. He also works with area $- 43%;, "Itbookstores each November to es- ;.�'-WIF HOPE all respond.He one of the most prevalent and dan- in Margate,has mailed more than was pretty bad,"says Pizza, °' -'I1 •_; won't stop gerous human conditions: igno- 400 copies of his resolution to area who filed a discrimination suit tablish a display booth on the epi- wi'tt'R -Andif they wait toolong, ranee. Specifically, he wants to governments,including the gover- against his employers. lepsy disorder. he!, _i even call. promote an understanding of epi- nor's office. "I wasn't fired.I wasn't suspend- "People are more accepting, " f•„t want anyone else to go lepsy. More than 200 municipalities ed.But I was out of work for two compared to the way they were 10 t 0 + •he livinghell that I went Since retiringto South Florida in have responded thisyear,since theyears,because theywouldn't let me or moreyears ago,"he says."But th�b��'�•• ` P g Y m •��K+ �.=:s."Pizza,60,says from the 1995, the New Jersey native has group's initial September mailings. do anything." you have to keep the word out." i.!,:�7 t., it room at his Margate embarked on amassive letter-writ- "But this is only Nov. 17,"Pizza Pizza returned to work two -3- � Y g i t•p.-+jtcomplex. ing campaign to have November says with a shrug. years later,he says.But over the ' . ,��, ��'_,oing to do everything in recognized as National Epilepsy Plenty more time to work. years,he had become sickened by Natasha Butler can be reached at + •..?•r to spread the word,"he Awareness Month in Florida. Epilepsy—a neurological disor- the far worse incidents"involving nbutler@sun-sentinel.com or +.• + `'' Pizza,who chairs the volunteer der in whichbrain cells generate people with epilepsy. 954-385-793Q. • M. s on a mission to topple Committee for Epilepsy Awareness excessive or erratic discharge—af- That sickness soon turned into • fT'u� t` i'ti4 r 1 _,-7 at Pilizit of V.,rqursfa , .-;-: " jf iII �� r a a PrortantarrottI ,:.4", PROCLAMATION TASZ- DECLARING NOVEMBER,2001 %�- AS NATIONAL EPILEPSY AWARENESS MONTH a.-- iir IN THE VILLAGE OF TEQUESTA f.7-t •.,-"i, WHEREAS, Epilepsy, also known as Seizure Disorder, has afflicted mankind since the dawn of our - 'i. --.' f species and has been recognized since the earliest medical writings,and ,.. " "7LLE WHEREAS, as long as 400 B.C., Hippocrates, the Father of Medicine, repudiated ancient beliefs that - (4• Epilepsy was a visitation from the gods and sacred or that it was a curse from the gods that people afflicted W with this disorder held prophetic powers. Hippocrates believed that Epilepsy was a brain disorder,and :i'my'rete WHEREAS, a seizure is a sudden, brief attack of altered consciousness, motor activity or sensory , �tira phenomena. It is a sign that certain brain cells(neutrons)are discharging an excessive amount of electrical '�� s `-., impulses,and '- :' i WHEREAS,Epilepsy can be caused by injury to the brain,lack of oxygen at birth,brain tumor,infection �� = =; ..and brain hemorrhage. In sixty percent of the cases,the cause is unknown,and 2�j , . WHEREAS,Epilepsy can affect anyone,at any age and at any time,and $p \` WHEREAS,more than two million Americans are afflicted with some type of Epilepsy. Of this number, ,, , el 150,000 are Florida residents,and WHEREAS, with the administration of anticonvulsant drugs,two thirds(66.66%)of those afflicted with ";`j2 :; Epilepsy are drug controlled,and N`� %;; •_ a.,oa WHEREAS, lack of education about this disorder has contributed to age old myths, superstitions and r prejudices,and „, T7 '4'f WHEREAS,the stigma associated with this disorder is sometimes worse than the disorder itself,and � `b` ' �' .: �� '.; WHEREAS; people who have Epilepsy make reliable and conscientious workers in job performance. �^ productivity,safety,cooperation and attendance,and _'� .:' --- ..- >"'-,ti r2,, WHEREAS,studies carried out in the UNITED STATES over the past thirty years have indicated that of '4-'" all disabilities,Epilepsy poses the greatest barrier to employment with unemployment rates estimated to fall `,"') between twenty and twenty-five percent. ` WHEREAS, Epilepsy should not be a barrier to success. In addition to the normal requirements for _ r�i firt• success,a person who has Epilepsy needs a supportive environment and employers who are willing to give AY per, them an opportunity to become productive citizens. NOW,THEREFORE,BE IT PROCLAIMED BY THE VILLAGE COUNCIL OF THE VILLAGE ; • OF TEQUESTA, assembled in regular session this 11th day of October, 2001, that the month of a .. �� .�. November,2001 as National Epilepsy Awareness Month in the Village of Tequesta. '' '� BE IT FURTHER PROCLAIMED, that a copy of the Proclamation be sent to the Committee for `` ``,v Epilepsy Awareness,6670 Royal Palm Blvd.,Bldg.K,Apt.302,Margate,Florida 33063-2189. "7- 1.. IN WITNESS WHEREOF,I have herewith set my hand and caused the Seal of the Village of Tequesta to "3`�'I%` - be affixed the 11th day of October,2001. l 40.. -ate . ., ' ' Attest: 1, ;::_ C: ' 1 piling(?yl£rk � t tt , /i (t f I l r r 1 4 F L l U G l�1 r at r r t , fit\ t ' o 1((�,f\\S `/ I�.I t:. 4;.'1 �� ,,�. %'1y/ is �� y,'"\` ,.t•a % I, , 1 9\~�\ ?// S.II, 4.177 ,