Madison, WI—Finding a cure for epilepsy is hard. Showing your support for people who live with the condition is as easy as wearing a purple ribbon or eating a purple cupcake.

Together with other organizations and businesses around the world, Lily’s Fund for Epilepsy Research is encouraging people in Wisconsin to wear purple on Friday, March 26, to raise awareness about epilepsy.

Epilepsy is a medical condition affecting more than 2.7 million Americans. Approximately 200,000 new cases of seizures and epilepsy occur each year in the U.S., including 45,000 children under the age of 15. The condition affects more people than breast cancer, with 50,000 Americans killed each year from seizures and related causes. While many people with epilepsy are able to lead productive lives, one-third of all epilepsy patients are unable to control their seizures with medication.

“Purple Day” was founded in 2008 by nine-year-old Cassidy Megan of Nova Scotia, Canada, to tell others about the disorder and to let people with seizures know that they are not alone. Last year, over 100,000 students worldwide wore purple to support epilepsy awareness, and hundreds of businesses and community groups hosted awareness events.

Led by the Anita Kaufman foundation, bakeries across the United States are selling purple cupcakes this week to increase awareness about epilepsy. Two Madison-area bakeries – Daisy Café and Cupcakery and Cupcakes-A-Go-Go – are participating in the national campaign.

Lily’s Fund for Epilepsy Research is a volunteer organization that supports and celebrates epilepsy-related research at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. See www.lilysfund.org for information. For details about Purple Day, see www.purpleday.org.