Event Series:
International Epilepsy Day
International Epilepsy Day
February 9, 2026
What is International Epilepsy Day?
Started in 2015 and organized by the International Bureau for Epilepsy (IBE) and the International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE), International Epilepsy Day provides a platform for people with epilepsy to share their experiences and stories with a global audience. International Epilepsy Day also calls for all people to advocate for appropriate legislation that will guarantee human rights of people with epilepsy. It also encourages people with epilepsy to live to their fullest potential. The Epilepsy Foundation is a full member of IBE.
The awareness color for epilepsy is purple. Cassidy Megan, a young girl from Canada who has epilepsy, selected the color purple. She wanted to get people talking about the condition. Cassidy decided to use the color purple because lavender is recognized as the international flower of epilepsy.
International Epilepsy Day, celebrated each year on the 2nd Monday of February, is an opportunity to raise awareness of epilepsy. In addition, this day calls attention to what it is, treatment options, and treatment availability to those who need it.
Talk About Epilepsy
Despite being one of the world’s oldest known medical conditions, public fear and misunderstanding about epilepsy persist. This makes many people reluctant to talk about it. That reluctance leads to lives lived in the shadows. It also contributes to a lack of understanding about individual risk, discrimination in workplaces and communities, and a lack of funding for new therapies research. People with epilepsy die prematurely at a higher rate compared to the general population. The most common cause of death from epilepsy is sudden unexpected death in epilepsy, known as SUDEP. For many people living with epilepsy, the misconceptions and discrimination can be more difficult to overcome than the seizures themselves.
International Epilepsy Day seeks to raise awareness and educate the general public on the true facts about epilepsy and the urgent need for improved treatment. It also stresses better care and greater investment in research.
International Epilepsy Day
Join the worldwide effort to increase epilepsy awareness on International Epilepsy Day. Post on social media sites to make your voice heard.
- Share a selfie with a card on social media using the hashtag #EpilepsyIs alongside #EpilepsyDay.
- Share why epilepsy is more than seizures for you.
- Change the header photos on your social media accounts.
- Create your own epilepsy awareness video to share on social media during #EpilepsyDay.
Facts in Tweet-Size Bites
- 65 million people around the world live with #epilepsy.
- 3.4+ million people in the U.S. live with #epilepsy.
- 1 in 26 people in the U.S. will develop epilepsy at some point in their lifetime.
- 4 to 10 out of 1,000 people on earth live with active #seizures at any one time.
- 150,000 new cases of #epilepsy are diagnosed in the U.S. each year.
- One-third of people with #epilepsy live with uncontrolled #seizures because no available treatment works for them.
- For 6 out of 10 people with #epilepsy the cause is unknown.
- Each year, more than 1 in 1,000 people with epilepsy die from sudden unexpected death in epilepsy, known as SUDEP.
- 4 out of 10 people with #epilepsy in the industrialized world do not receive appropriate treatment.
- 8 out of 10 people with #epilepsy in developing nations do not receive appropriate treatment.
