Company Profile
Epilepsy Foundation
Company Overview
The mission of the Epilepsy Foundation is to stop seizures and SUDEP, find a cure and overcome the challenges created by epilepsy through efforts including education, advocacy and research to accelerate ideas into therapies.
The Epilepsy Foundation, a national non-profit with more than 47 affiliated organizations throughout the United States, has led the fight against seizures since 1968. The Foundation is an unwavering ally for individuals and families impacted by epilepsy and seizures. The Foundation works to prevent, control and cure epilepsy through community services; public education; federal and local advocacy; and supporting research into new treatments and therapies. The Foundation works to ensure that people with seizures have the opportunity to live their lives to their fullest potential.
Company History
The Epilepsy Foundation was established in 1967 as the Epilepsy Foundation of America, merging two largely regional epilepsy organizations. It began operating as the Epilepsy Foundation on January 1, 1998, formalizing the name most often used by the public in referring to the organization. It is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt charitable organization existing under the laws of the State of Delaware, with a national office in metropolitan Washington, D.C.
The Foundation is governed by a Board of Directors comprising business leaders, health care professionals and client representatives, with the advice and counsel of a 50 member Professional Advisory Board made up of the country's leading epilepsy physicians and health experts.The national board of directors is chaired by Brien J. Smith, M.D, chief of neurology at Spectrum Health in Michigan. The Foundation’s professional advisory board is chaired by Page B. Pennell, M.D., Director of Research for the Epilepsy Division of the Department of Neurology at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, a Harvard Medical School teaching affiliate in Boston, Mass.
The Epilepsy Foundation is funded primarily through individual donations from the general public and receives restricted grant support from the federal government, foundations and private industry. The organization is a participant in the Combined Federal Campaign and a member of the National Health Council and of the International Bureau for Epilepsy.