Metro Manila, Philippines – The Philippine League Against Epilepsy, in collaboration with Zydus PH, proudly announces the launch of #STEPS: Stop The Epilepsy Stigma—a groundbreaking advocacy campaign dedicated to raising awareness, challenging misconceptions, and promoting a deeper understanding of epilepsy.
Epilepsy affects millions of people worldwide, yet the stigma surrounding this neurological condition continues to persist. This stigma can lead to discrimination, social isolation, and a significant impact on the quality of life for those living with epilepsy. The #STEPS challenge seeks to combat these issues
through the campaign of 100 million steps in the aim to reach more people and foster a culture of acceptance and empathy with every steps volunteer.
Key Objectives of #STEPS:
- Raise Awareness: Through a series of events starting with the #STEpS challenge, a collected goal of 100 million steps, educational materials, and social media outreach, we aim to increase public knowledge about epilepsy, its causes, and its effects. We believe that awareness is the first step toward breaking down the stigma.
- Promote Understanding: The campaign will feature personal stories from individuals living with epilepsy, healthcare professionals, and caregivers, highlighting the challenges they face and the strength they show. By sharing these experiences, we hope to humanize epilepsy and encourage empathy and understanding.
- Advocate for Change: #STEPS will work alongside policymakers, healthcare providers, and communities to advocate for better support systems, access to treatment, and the rights of people with epilepsy. We believe that everyone deserves to live without fear of judgment or discrimination.
Campaign Highlights:
- Educational Workshops: A series of lay-fora workshops will be held across social media
platforms to educate the public, schools, and workplaces about epilepsy and how to support those affected by the condition.
- Social Media Challenge: Join our #STEPS social media challenge by sharing your stories of taking the #steps challenge, experiences, and messages of support using the hashtag
#StopTheEpilepsyStigma #steps.
- Community Engagement: We will host community fun run events and partner with local organizations to spread our message far and wide.
- Policy Advocacy: We will engage with local and national policymakers to push for stronger protections and resources for individuals with epilepsy.
KEYNOTE HIGHLIGHTS:
Quote from Mr. Manjul Mishra (Senior Vice President for SBU-1 Emerging Market, Zydus Lifesciences): “At Zydus, we believe that no one should have to face the challenges of epilepsy alone. The #STEPS campaign is our commitment to stopping the stigma and ensuring that everyone affected by epilepsy
feels seen, supported, and empowered.”
Quote from Mr. Vikas Jain (Country Manager Zydus Healthcare Philippines Inc.):
“Facing the reality of more than 900,000 Filipino patients living with epilepsy, one of the significant challenges is access to treatment due to cost. At Zydus PH, we are committed to addressing this issue through the #STEPS campaign, ensuring that every Filipino affected by epilepsy not only feels supported and empowered but also has better access to the care they need.”
Quote from Dr. Adolfo Solis (President, Philippine League Against Epilepsy):
It has been more than two decades that the Presidential Proclamation #230 has been signed by Pres. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to officially designate the first week of September as the National Epilepsy Awareness Week. There are still so many Filipinos with epilepsy who do not have adequate access to medical care and exercise their rights and privileges as persons with disability (PWDs). This clearly demonstrates that we should continue as well as level up our efforts to increase awareness on epilepsy. The Philippine League Against Epilepsy believes that partnership and collaboration with all sectors of the society is key to the success of implementing our advocacy programs for our patients with epilepsy.
Quote from Katie (as a patient suffering from Epilepsy):
We invite everyone to join us in this critical movement to Stop The Epilepsy Stigma. Together, we can make a lasting impact and create a world where epilepsy is understood and accepted.
For more information on how to get involved, please visit Zydus life or follow us on social media @ZydusPH.
