Posted 8 Feb 2021 International Epilepsy Day 2021Today (Monday 8th February 2021) is International Epilepsy Day to help raise global awareness for people living with epilepsy.iam|INSURED and epilepsyWe sadly lost a good friend in 2019 to epilepsy at the age of 36 from a head injury suffered during a severe seizure. This is something that is close to our hearts and we are incredibly grateful to the epilepsy charities who supported Paul’s family for many years.Paul was a promising young golfer, a great friend, and a fantastic person. Epilepsy had a dramatic impact on his life and cost him a promising career in the sport that he loved. People don’t realise the impact that epilepsy can have on a person and their family.About International Epilepsy DayInternational Epilepsy Day has been running for many years and it is a joint initiative that was originally created by the International Bureau for Epilepsy (IBE) and the International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE). This is a global event that is held on the second Monday of February to help raise awareness for epilepsy around the world.The two organisations (IBE & ILAE) are represented in over 120 countries around the world so this is a powerful event. The aim of the day is to help to raise awareness and shine a spotlight on the problems faced by people suffering from epilepsy, their families, and their carers all over the globe.International Epilepsy Day 2021 (#50millionsteps)A new campaign was launched ahead of this year’s International Epilepsy Day which was ’50 Million Steps for Epilepsy’. The aim was to step up awareness for epilepsy and in recognition of the 50 million people with epilepsy around the world.According to the latest figures from the World Health Organisation (WHO) there is an incredible 50 million people affected by epilepsy.Causes of epilepsy include: Genetic disposition Head trauma Brain tumour Or unknown causesEpilepsy can have a dramatic impact on the lifestyle of anyone diagnosed with the disease. The stigma that surrounds epilepsy can also be more difficult to deal with than the condition itself.International Epilepsy Day 2021 happens on Monday 8th February this year and people are invited to join in counting their steps for epilepsy between Monday 4th January and Monday 8th February. Steps counter 50MillionSteps.org Share your steps on social media using the hashtag #50millionstepsTo find out more about this years amazing challenge you can visit 50MillionSteps.org which includes resources, guides, posters and social media graphics.Latest Epilepsy Facts and FiguresFactsFiguresPeople currently living with epilepsy around the world today50 million according to WHONumber of people living with epilepsy in the UK currentlyOver 600,000 according to Epilepsy Society UKNumber of people diagnosed with epilepsy in the UK every dayApproximately 87 in the UKApproximate number of people who will have epilepsy in their lives1 in 50 people will have epilepsy at some point (not all will be lifelong or chronic)People with epilepsy who are affected by flashing lights (photosensitive epilepsy)Only 3% of people with epilepsy are affected by flashing lightsLife expectancy for someone with idiopathic or cryptogenic epilepsy2 years less than national averageLife expectancy for someone with symptomatic epilepsy10 years less than national averageMost common conditions linked to suffering from epilepsy (comorbidity)33% of people with epilepsy also suffer from depression and anxietyEpilepsy life insurance case studyHere’s an example of someone with epilepsy that we helped recently to get life cover to protect her two children and partner.Rebecca contacted iam|INSURED in October 2020 looking for life insurance to protect her two children (aged 2 and 12 years), and her husband who also has diabetes.Age: 35 (born 1986)Smoker status: Non-smokerCover amount: £150,000Term of cover: 40 years (to age 75)Type of cover: Level term (family protection)Premium: £26.02Medical historyAge diagnosed with epilepsy7 years of ageCause of diagnosisCyst on the brainSurgeryNoneAbsent seizuresApprox. 300/yearGrand mal seizuresNone (last one at age 14)MedicationAnti-epilepsy drugs (AED’s)Other conditionsAsthma (diagnosed age 21)We were delighted to have got Rebecca the amount of cover that she needed to protect her family and keep within her budget.Resources: Epilepsy Society Epilepsy Action Epilepsy Research About Latest Posts Daniel Sharpe-SzunkoManaging Director at iam|INSUREDDaniel is an extremely passionate and accomplished expert within the insurance and mortgage world. He has dedicated almost all of his 20+ years in the financial services industry to helping people with different needs and circumstances to get the best outcomes... Over the past two decades, Daniel has worked with some of the biggest financial services brands to help promote fairer treatment for people who are not classed as 'standard' by insurers or lenders. Daniel also works with numerous health and medical charities, as well as providing support for a number of events to help raise awareness for medical conditions in the UK.Email: [email protected]Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielsharpe-szunkoLatest posts by Daniel Sharpe-Szunko (see all) Post-Covid underwriting rules for life cover - July 20, 2021 Sarcoma awareness month 2021 - July 8, 2021 Covid update – Life insurance limits - May 24, 2021