Epilepsy Says Game On

Sunday, 2 November 2014 07:19

Funding for Epilepsy Support Centre wraps up in March and the Game On program is looking for other ways to fund the sports program.

LONDON - The Epilepsy Support Centre is looking for the community's help when it comes to their Game On program.

According to Project Manager Tabitha Vercillo, the program helps children with neurological conditions improve their physical coordination by helping to develop their physical literacy skills such as running, jumping, balance and object manipulation. "We welcome children with any sort of neurological condition including epilepsy, seizure disorders, autism spectrum disorder, cerebral palsy and really anything that affects their development."

The group runs four, six-week sessions throughout the year and are currently part way through their fall session. Children are welcomed to join at any time and do not have to attend all six weeks. Each week they set up six stations; "the children are free to move around to the stations and they have one-on-one support with volunteers who will teach them skills in each station. One day we'll be working on kicking with proper form and stopping the ball with a proper form - that could be happening in one station while at another station they're learning how to skip and jump. Then we take all of those stations and at the end of the day we play games that work in all of those skills so that they have a chance to apply them."

Vercillo says the group is currently in the second round of the Aviva Community Fund competition and they're looking for the public's support in hopes to win part of the 1-million dollar in prizes. "Our funding is wrapping up in March so we are looking for alternative ways to fund the program so that we can continue it next year. People can support us by voting so all you need is an email address and you can log on to the Aviva Community Fund web site and then you have 15 votes that you can put towards an organization of your choice."

The program is currently funded through the Ontario Sports and Recreation Community Fund by the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport.

Vercillo points out that all of the staff and volunteers are seizure trained and have first aid.

Click HERE to learn more about the Game On program; or to vote for them in Aviva Community Fund, click HERE