Purple Day is an international effort dedicated to increasing awareness about the neurological disorder, epilepsy.

A young Nova Scotian, Cassidy Megan, started the day in 2008 with a goal of educating people about the disease.

Dr. Paula Brna, a neurologist at the IWK Health Centre, says common misconceptions have contributed to the negative stigma surrounding the condition.

“Probably the most common thing we come across is the belief the epilepsy is a mental health illness, or a psychological disorder,” says Brna.

Some people believe those living with epilepsy should be restricted in employment, relationships and common activities such as sports, but Brna says that simply isn’t true.

“We try to advocate for as much routine physical activity and as much involvement in normal everyday life as possible,” she says.

The way seizures are portrayed on screen can also be misleading.

“There are other forms where people might just stare or have altered awareness, they may have muscle spasms or unusual sensations,” she says.

Since their daughter Sadie was diagnosed with epilepsy in 2010, Lori and Blair Rhyno say their life has changed significantly.

“We’ve been in and out of emerge, we’ve had ambulance rides in through emerge. She’s been hospitalized here, I think four times,” says Lori.

“When this all started, Sadie was your average two-year-old and now, when she has a bad spell, she can be down and out for three or four days at a time,” says Blair.

Since her diagnosis, the three-year-old girl has experience close to 200 seizures.

She has been on various medications and now follows a special high-fat diet.

Her parents admit they didn’t know much about epilepsy before it touched their family.

“We knew it had a lot to do with seizures, but never knew the scope and all it involved,” says Lori.

Today, the Rhyno family is celebrating Purple Day in full force, with both their businesses and Sadie’s school taking part.

“Would we want this to happen? No,” says Lori. “But we kind of feel it’s our place to help her get the word out where she’s young and she can’t.”