EWCT is a stand-alone organisation based proudly in the Waikato region.
The Trust (Charities Services No. CC46715) aims to provide information, advice, and support to individuals with epilepsy, and their families, friends, and work mates, to enable them to improve their physical, physiological, and psychological well-being, and also to promote a better understanding of epilepsy in the wider community.
Trained Epilepsy Advisor
Epilepsy advisor Maria Lowe
EWCT supports a trained epilepsy advisor who provides one-on-one support to people with epilepsy, which is a serious neurological condition. She advocates for epilepsy clients and family members with issues such as hospital visits/appointments, health and safety, employment, pharmaceutical support, work and income, and benefits, to help ensure their legal rights are met and respected as well as helping with their condition.
The advisor works with neurologists, paediatricians, pharmacologists and others to help advise her many clients. EWCT’s advisor Maria Lowe is shown above talking to school children about epilepsy.
The advisor works to educate people to help demystify the epilepsy condition more widely. Educational activities include oral presentations (talks, seminars, or training session) to groups ranging from school children to medical professionals and various service providers, participating in community events such as the Waikato “Wellbeing Expo” and the Round-the-Bridges event, providing numerous popular, easy-to-read ‘fact sheets’ on the website, and through Facebook and newsletters.
Epilepsy Awareness and Education
EWCT has also published two illustrated children’s books, “Ben’s Buddies” and “Ariana and Jack”, written in both English and te reo Māori. Copies are given free to all children with epilepsy and also to schools and libraries. “Ben’s Buddies” has recently become available as an animated video in three languages. EWCT’s new online epilepsy poster, Not all seizures look the same, is an interactive guide to how seizures can affect individuals in many different ways.
“Ariana and Jack” book launch, in 2017 with Hamilton Mayor Andrew King (second from right)
EWCT Club Members
EWCT members on a social outing to Taupo
Because social connectedness is important, EWCT also runs various social groups and organises annual trips for members. The Trust also recognises an ‘epilepsy hero’ at an annual mid-winter event – the photo right shows the two ‘heroes’ of 2017, Sharon Holt (left), author of EWCT’s children’s books, and long-standing supporter Stu Robinson (right), owner of Fresca Café, who has generously hosted social get-togethers for EWCT’s Epilepsy Club since it began in 2011.