Irish epilepsy charity appeals for support after significant drop in fundraised income

An Irish epilepsy charity is appealing for support after a significant drop in fundraised income during the Covid-19 pandemic. 

Epilepsy Ireland is urging people to support their national fundraising week, Rose Week, which takes place from October 10 to October 16. 

According to the head of fundraising and development at Epilepsy Ireland, Stephen Lowry, the charity has seen "record demand" for support services in 2021. 

He said. "... Our fundraised income has suffered a dramatic decrease since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, falling by 50%. We urgently need the public’s support this Rose Week to help us continue to be there for people with epilepsy and their families both now and into the future.” 

Although the Irish public believes epilepsy to be a rare condition (8 in 10 people, according to a survey conducted by Amarach Research), over 45,000 people in Ireland currently live with it. 

Mr. Lowry said, "Epilepsy is much more common than most think – it is the most common neurological condition in Ireland. Within your community, our team may be supporting your family, friends, colleagues, & teammates on their respective journeys with the condition so please help us to continue to be there for them during Rose Week.

"Every donation, no matter the size, can make a huge contribution to our activities.” 

The charity recently launched their new Strategic Plan which sets out how the organisation aims to work towards its overall vision of a society where no person’s life is limited by epilepsy. The plan includes key aims such as developing strategies to prevent epilepsy-related deaths and increasing investment in Irish epilepsy research. 

To learn more about Epilepsy and Epilepsy Ireland or donate, click here or consider buying a Rose Pin from volunteers in your local area.