Epilepsy awareness month?

So today, November 13, I found out it was epilepsy awareness month. I feel slightly ashamed that it took me almost half of November to realize this. I wish I could blame it on NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) but seeing as I am nowhere near my word count goal, I cannot. Even if I was writing the next great American novel in one month, it is not excusable. But it did get me thinking. If I have epilepsy, and write about epilepsy, why was I not more aware of this tradition? I really think it comes down to the lack of visibility.

Rough estimates place epilepsy prevalence at around 1% (epilepsy.com). One percent may not seem like large number, but think of your graduating class or place of work. How many people make up that population? Now take 1% of that. And how many times have you heard them or anyone else talk about it? Hopefully the answer is higher than mine (basically zero). Why? Especially when, "according to the World Health Organization, 'epilepsy is the most common serious brain disorder worldwide with no age, racial, social class, national, nor geographic boundaries'" (bcepilepsy.com)?

I suspect this has to do with the fact that episodes are scary, that they are often associated with drunken, crazy, or disorderly conduct, and that they are made fun of. But why is it so easy to talk about other disorders? Why is literally everything pink to support breast cancer, ice bucket challenges go viral, and celebrities talk openly about illnesses, but no one talks about epilepsy? Obviously I am not against bringing attention to any disorder, but it's really gotten to me lately. I recently Googled celebrities with epilepsy and got minimal information. Lil Wayne had a seizure and that's about it. I have no doubt that there are plenty more! Why don't they talk about it? Side note: Phillip K Dick, Van Gogh, Fyodor Dostoyevsky, Socrates, Aristotle, and Plato are all rumored to have suffered from seizure disorders.

I can't really answer this question, and perhaps it is something that is very personal that individuals don't feel comfortable talking about. I get that. But if we could get other, non-epileptics to talk about it, maybe it wouldn't make some of us so hesitant or embarrassed (yes embarrassed!) to mention it.

Help spread the word!! Even if it isn't awareness month.

P.S. if you know someone who has epilepsy, please don't laugh when others mimic a seizure and when in their presence, please try to be conscious of the fact that strobe lights or any type of flashing, flickering lights are triggers. Thanks!

P.P.S. Ideas for ice bucket challenge type thing? Something with cats is bound to go viral.