Global Perspectives

Editorial - Ria Reis

• Special subject editorial - Self-help groups, service and patient-interest organizations - Harry Meinardi
  In this special issue the focus is on the self-empowerment of people with epilepsy. Self-help groups are an important means of achieving such goal.
• Self-Help Groups for People with Epilepsy -Victoria Loeber-Lieb,
  Over the past 25 years more and more patients have met together to share their experience and discuss their situation and this also influenced the relationship between doctor and patient in important ways. Most self-help groups are set up by lay people, that is to say that professionals usually only have an advisory function in the groups.
• Self-Help Group in Germany - Victoria Loebe-Lieb
  In 1988 Germany was one of the last countries in Europe to establish a national epilepsy association for patients, their relatives and friends.
• Support Groups - Are They Needed? - Jenny Anderson
  The need for a support group becomes evident through people with epilepsy and their family searching with out success for counselling, information and assistance in coping with family, peers, colleagues and the community.
• Liga contra la Epilepsia de Valparaiso -Dra Amparo Arcaya Vargas Valpararaiso
  The League against epilepsy of Valaraiso, Chile, was founded in 1953,and has worked continuously ever since. Its activities began in the neuro-surgical department of the Carlos Van Buren Hospital in Valparaiso, under the name of 'Nucleo Anti-Epileptico EI Almendal'
• Supporting People Through Groups - Russel Pollard
  Russell Pollard and Camille Heagney discuss some of the theoretical and practical issues facing people and organizations wishing to include group among their strategies for supporting people with epilepsy and other chronic conditions.
• EPICLUB - Epicentre's Support Group - Dr Prithika Chary
  Epicentre (Epilepsy Institute and Centre for Treatment, Research and Education) only thought of support as love and understanding when the support group Epiclub was started in 1995, and the group was naïve enough not to expect any other response from people with epilepsy and their friends and families.
• Book Review - Harry Meinardi,
  Epilepsy, the Indian perspective
  Edited by J.M.K. Murthy, Prof. of Neurology
  Nizam's Institute of Medical Sciences
  Hyderabad, India
• Epiepsy Support Group - Our Experience - Dr Pravina U. Shah
  The epilepsy support group Samman (meaning self-respect) evolved quite naturally. The group was evolved to develop or improve the many Es of epilepsy: education, employment, enrichment, empathy, excellence, enjoyment, empowerment, emotions, and so on.
• W. van Luttikhuizen and G.J. Hoefman Staff members Stichting Epilepsie, Instellingen Nederland Heemstede, the Netherlands climb Kilimanjaro for epilepsy - Ria Reis
  On the 30th of December 1998 two Dutch mountaineers reached the summit of Tanzania's famous Mount Kilimanjaro. By reaching its highest peak they accomplished two projects for people with epilepsy in Tanzania.
• Epilepsy out of the Shadows - Hanneke M de Boer
  In an attempt to assist people from countries with developing economies to participate in International epilepsy congresses, the International Bureau for Epilepsy (IBE) and the International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE) have set up a bursary fund on a number of occasions. This time for the Prague congress such a fund was set up enabling a number of representatives from those countries to attend.