Provincial Conference
Ashley Appleby, Epilepsy Peterborough & Area
Epilepsy Ontario's 15th Annual Provincial Conference was held on 30 September through 2 October at the Holiday Inn in Peterborough, Ontario. This year it was in a different format, beginning mid-week instead of the usual weekend schedule. The conference included a Thursday evening Complementary Therapies Health Fair, a Friday Social Marketing Workshop led by Mr. Fraser Bannerman, and an Anger and Wellness seminar led by Ms. Angela Jackson.
The Complementary Therapies Health Fair, in the evening of 30 September, let the public, chapter delegates and chapter staff learn about alternative treatments for seizure disorders. An excellent information package about alternative therapies, researched by Epilepsy Ontario summer students, was available. The fair began with a brief introduction by Ms. Lyn Zeppieri, a child and parent program consultant with Epilepsy Peterborough. Those in attendance included Mr. Peter Adams, MPP for the Peterborough area, local health care professionals, and EO delegates and staff from around the province.
Mrs. Linda Nelson (ART) spoke about Peterborough's Complementary Care Centre, one of the first to open in a hospital setting, located in the former St. Joseph's Hospital site, in conjunction with the Peterborough Regional Health Centre. The Centre officially opened in January 1998 and offers a wide variety of treatments, including reflexology, yoga, biofeedback, aromatherapy and cranio-sacral therapy. Mrs. Nelson began speaking about reflexology, originally known as Zone Therapy, and its stimulation of all the reflexes in the muscle fibres of the hand and feet. Reflexology sessions last for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Reflexology is a treatment that most people can tolerate.
Ms. Patricia Houde (BA) spoke about family mediation – a very important issue for many people living with epilepsy. The Family Mediation Clinic, also located in the Complementary Care Centre, offers help to families deciding on the best treatment and building a foundation of understanding and support for a person living with a chronic illness and/or a disorder like epilepsy.
Other interesting presentations included aromatherapy, stress management, chiropractic medicine, cranio-sacral therapy, therapeutic touch, and naturopathic medicine. Dr. Ross Anderson explained that naturopathic medicine is an holistic approach to health care which uses natural methods and substances to support and stimulate the body's inherent self-healing abilities.
All presenters explained that, although alternative therapies do not cure seizures or epilepsy, many of these techniques may reduce seizure activity in selected patients.
Attendees were reminded to never stop taking their medications except on the advice of their doctor or neurologist, and to work conjunctively with their local health practitioners to achieve optimum benefit.
It was a positive experience for all.
Friday's workshops for chapter staff and volunteers were designed to better understand and establish chapter strategies and personal goals related to their specific interests. Participants were very fortunate to work with Ms. Jackson and Mr. Bannerman; they are both extremely busy and in very high demand. Participants reported that they learned much about themselves and about constructive chapter strategies.
Saturday morning, delegates, staff and the provincial Executive Committee held their Provincial Council Meeting, with business wrapping up around noon. With another successful provincial conference behind them, Epilepsy Ontario and its chapters around the province now begin to plan for the Millennium Conference in the fall of 2000.
