Quilt Program

The EAENA is proud to launch its search for support and sponsorship of its unique Quilt Program.

As the only non-profit association in the Edmonton and Northern Alberta region (Red Deer and North), supporting the over 15,000 Albertans living with epilepsy, we take pride in ensuring we are a central body for building awareness, bolster education and provide individualized support for those affected by epilepsy.

Diagnosed Albertans, like 400,000 Canadians, take different first steps in their journey living with epilepsy.  Each year thousands Northern Albertans have their worlds flipped upside down when they are diagnosed with this condition. Beyond the severity of the direct health implications, newly diagnosed Albertans are left navigating how this news impacts their sense of self, professional and daily life, personal relationships, and more. The financial implications of an epilepsy diagnosis are also very real. Individuals often need to overhaul their careers as the condition impacts their ability to perform tasks they once completed with ease—or worse, may be let go due to absenteeism as a result of quietly taking care of their health. Many children and adults alike feel a stigma around their diagnosis, so they live in silence, further amplifying feelings of isolation.

The EAENA exists to empower people who live with epilepsy by fostering a special community, creating events, and offering helpful resources and programs free of charge. Even though the organization is lesser known than others in the local non-profit sphere, the small but mighty EAENA team provides significant, tangible support to its community.

EAENA is reaching out to major donors and sponsors, as well as individuals who are willing to sponsor even one quilt, to bring this program to life.  With the support of volunteers providing the craftsmanship, EAENA hopes to provide a personalized quilt to each and every child and adult who has just heard the words, “You have epilepsy,” or has been living with the condition and is about to face brain surgery. With the individual’s name stitched right into the quilt’s fabric, EAENA would like to invite the recipient to wrap themselves in the unique blanket to feel a sense of comfort and security in a time that is undoubtedly filled with feelings of anxiety and uncertainty. Aside from the tangible benefits of the quilt, the personalized token also acts as a metaphor for a warm embrace from EAENA, welcoming individuals into the local epilepsy community, and provides assurance that they have a support system who is here for them, ready to walk through life with epilepsy together through the highs and lows