Our Team
Epilepsy Canada is governed by a nationally representative Board of Directors, comprised of leading professionals from the neurology and business communities. Founded in 1966, the organization depends on donor and volunteer support for the continued development and delivery of its research grant programs.
Gary Collins,
Chief Executive Officer
In 1985, my life changed when I was suddenly diagnosed with epilepsy. I was one of the fortunate 70% whose seizures were mostly controlled through medication. However, the cumulative side-effects of my meds had a major impact on my lifestyle over the past ten years. These side-effects were becoming debilitating.
In 2018, I was most fortunate to work with one of the leading Neurologist Researchers in Canada. My new Neurologist recommended a change in my medication. Much research over the past 30 years had yielded significant changes in epilepsy drugs. In the space of two months, I was given my life back, with ZERO side-effects! Now, I’m the beneficiary of new and great research.
My new meds changed my life again in the most positive way. I am energized and wake up each day feeling terrific. My new meds have reduced my stress levels, eliminated the ‘fog’ that I lived with for many years, the anxieties of feeling unhealthy and renewed physical capabilities that allowed me to engage in a number of sports activities that I had given up on. This change taught me that we need to be our own health advocates. We need to push our medical support teams to review our medical profiles from time to time and to review new methodologies.
In 2019, I walked the Camino de Santiago to prove, once again, that I’m capable of most anything. In addition to completing this personal challenge, I walked for the 360,000 Canadians, like me, who are living with epilepsy. I continue to look for projects that I can join that will support those Canadians that support our efforts to raise monies for epilepsy research.
Contact
garycollins@epilepsy.ca
416-346-1446
“Should you feel inspired to create an adventure to fundraise, let me know so that I might join your team. Your donation efforts make a dramatic difference for a better life for those living with epilepsy and I am living proof. More importantly, your donations will help us find a cure.”
Board of Directors
Chairman
Jane Todd
Treasurer, Director
Mark Edwards
Chair, Scientific Research Committee
Dr. Morris Scantlebury, diplomate ABPN, CSCN (EEG)
Associate Professor, Cumming School of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics
Director
Cynthia Connelly
Director
Dr. Julia Jacob-LeVan, Director of the Alberta Children’s Epilepsy Program
Associate Professor, Cumming School of Medicine
Director
Carmen Zannier
Director
Beth Lewin Dean
Director
Dan Bradley
Director
Gary Collins
Director
Chantal Giguere