Expressions of Courage

"Expressions of Courage^®: Art by People with Epilepsy"

About the Contest
Sponsored by Ortho-McNeil Neurologics^®, Division of Ortho-McNeil-Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc, in partnership with the Epilepsy Foundation, the Expressions of Courage art contest was initially created to provide a way for children with epilepsy to express themselves through art. The response to the program was so overwhelmingly positive that it was expanded to include people of all ages.

Art has long been an integral and indispensable part of the human experience. It has the unique ability to allow us to connect to other cultures and to other people. Through art, we learn about the artists' feelings, thoughts and philosophies.  By expressing the fear, hope and courage that stems from facing a serious neurological condition, the talented artists in the Expressions of Courage contest allow those unfamiliar with epilepsy to see the condition through the eyes of those living with it.

About the Exhibits
Developed by the Society for the Arts in Healthcare and Ortho-McNeil Neurologics^®, Division of Ortho-McNeil-Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc, the exhibits aim to enhance public awareness of epilepsy and promote the arts as an integral component of healthcare. Selected by curators from the Society for the Arts in Healthcare, they represent a collection of pieces from hundreds of winning entries, all of which illustrate both the profound effect that epilepsy can have on a human life and the courage many show in facing it.

Through Ortho-McNeil's generous support, the Society toured "Expressions of Courage: Through the Years" to medical centers and "Expressions of Courage: Art in the Park" to city parks across the United States from 2007 through 2009.

About Epilepsy
Epilepsy is a neurological disorder that causes abnormal electrical discharges in the brain that temporarily disrupt normal brain function, causing seizures to occur. More than three million people in the United States have some form of epilepsy and approximately 200,000 new cases of seizure disorders and epilepsy are diagnosed each year. Epilepsy can develop at any time in life, but there is a particular susceptibility in young children and the elderly. There is currently no cure for epilepsy, but medications help control seizure activity in the majority of people with this condition.

For more inspiring artwork and information on the contest, please visit http://www.expressionsofcourage.com/.