Friday, May 12, 2023

5 pm Pacific Time | 6 pm Mountain Time | 7 pm Central Time | 8 pm Eastern Time

Free admission

More than 500,000 children in Canada and the USA have epilepsy. About a third of those children continue to have seizures despite taking anti-seizure medications, also known as pediatric drug resistant epilepsy (DRE).

Brain surgery may be one option for them, but what if there is another option that is less invasive or more effective? What if new technology can bring hope to children who have DRE?

ABOUT SEIZING HOPE

Families with children who have drug resistant epilepsy face complex realities. In a world guided by the promises of technology, the goal of Seizing Hope is to raise awareness about the options offered by different technologies specifically for the brain in complement or as an alternative to treatment with medication. These options include

• vagus nerve stimulation
• deep brain stimulation, and
• responsive neurostimulation.

Watch as four families navigate decision-making around using various neuromodulation devices to treat seizures in their children. Here, the producers compiled the stories of four families with children who have pediatric DRE to shed light on their hope, trust, and empowerment journey.

The views and research presented in this documentary represent a multi-year neuroethics project funded by the National Institute of Mental Health of the USA National Institutes of Health, BRAIN Initiative.

After viewing the documentary together, panelists will answer questions presented by the moderator.

MODERATOR

Monika Jones, JD, founder and executive director of the Pediatric Epilepsy Surgery Alliance.

PANELISTS

Dr. Judy Illes, CM, PhD, FRSC, FCAHS

Professor and UBC Distinguished Scholar in Neuroethics, Director, Neuroethics Canada, University of British Columbia

Dr. Sandi Lam, MD, MBA

Division Head, Neurosurgery; Yeager Professorship in Pediatric Neurosurgery, Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital

Professor of Neurological Surgery, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine

Member of the board of directors, Pediatric Epilepsy Surgery Alliance

Dr. Taylor Abel

Associate Professor, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine

Chief, Pediatric Epilepsy Surgery, Surgical Director, Pediatric Epilepsy Surgery Program, UPMC Children’s Hospital

Member, scientific advisory board, Pediatric Epilepsy Surgery Alliance

CREDITS

Neuroethics Canada UBC, with funding from the NIH/NIMH BRAIN Initiative (#RF1MH117805-01) in association with Conexkt Innovation Studio And Cassiar Film CO. present Seizing Hope.

Featuring the Bagg, Chartrand, Thompson, and Cowin families.

Executive Producers Dr. Judy Illes and Dr. Patrick J. McDonald.

Produced by Dr. Johann Roduit. Directed by Adam Wormald

Learn more about the film at https://www.seizinghopefilm.com/