Epilepsy SA Daggafontein Centre lights candles in honour of epileptic patients
The candlelight ceremony at the Epilepsy SA Daggafontein Centre uplifted residents, staff, and guests.
The Epilepsy SA Daggafontein Centre hosted a candlelight ceremony on Wednesday as part of the commemoration held during National Epilepsy Week from February 13 to 19.
The ceremony remembered those who had died and honoured those still alive. Gathered at the centre’s stimulation hall were staff, residents, bishop Abbie Mabena, and some families.
The centre manager, Mpumi Khumalo, said it was a sad day for them as they remembered the residents who had died.
“We have lost precious souls. We remember them as they were once a part of us,” said Khumalo.
After this year’s theme of stamping out the stigma, Khumalo spoke of how people can move away from undebatable issues about epilepsy.
She defined epilepsy as a neurological disorder marked by sudden recurrent episodes of sensory disturbance, loss of consciousness, or convulsions associated with abnormal electrical activity in the brain.
“Many factors, including head injury, alcohol and drug abuse, birth injury, and so on, can aggravate epilepsy. One may be fine one day and epileptic the next,” Khumalo said.
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“People need to understand that epilepsy stigma affects patients more than the condition itself, which then escalates to mental conditions.”
She advised people to be more compassionate and loving towards epileptic people.
“Let’s learn to treat them as normal people and be willing to learn more about their condition.”
The centre and other Epilepsy SA branches have joined hands to commemorate Epilepsy Week.
