Proposal would hurt epilepsy patients

I am writing to urge our lawmakers to vote against the Senate version of HR 1. This legislation includes $100 billion in spending cuts, including cuts to vital health and epilepsy programs. As someone who cares deeply about epilepsy, I am very concerned about the $1 billion cut to medical research at the National Institutes of Health. This will likely result in a $5 million cut in funding for epilepsy research. It also includes a $50 million cut to the Health Resources Services Administration’s Maternal and Child Health Block Grant, which includes Project Access, an epilepsy program.

I strongly urge you to oppose these cuts, especially those that impact epilepsy research and programs. Epilepsy affects more than 3 million Americans and is more common than MS, muscular dystrophy, cerebral palsy and Parkinson’s combined. The total number of fatalities per year equals that of breast cancer. Despite all these statistics, people with epilepsy face much stigma, each moment of very day. We desperately need funding for further research, in order to help find a cure to such a devastating disease.

As an individual who deals with epilepsy and impacts of epilepsy on a daily basis, I, and the other members of our community, ask that you please reconsider cutting funding.

Kristina Rosser

Barrington