Chapter Spotlight: Cyprus

The Cyprus chapter of the International League against Epilepsy was first considered in 2004 in Vienna during the International Congress on Epileptology, and became a full member in the ILAE in 2005 in Paris during the European Epileptology Congress. Initially 19 members joined. Currently there are 30 members in the chapter.

The goal of the chapter is to promote the interests of people with epilepsy and to increase awareness about epilepsy among the general public as well as the legislature, and to create a forum for discussion of professionals interested in this field. Members include both medical professionals as well as other health allied people.

The chapter has created a website ( www2.cytanet.com.cy/epilepsy-cyprus) for information on the various aspects of epilepsy and epileptology for the public as well as for professionals.

The current executive board members are: Costas Michaelides, President; Eleftherios S. Papathanasiou, Vice President; Savvas S. Papacostas, Past President; Paola Nicolaides, Secretary; Elena Kkolou, Treasurer; and Michelle Cleanthous, Member.

Activities

The chapter has actively participated in all the Chapter Conventions held during European and International Epilepsy Congresses since its inception and, whenever possible, those held during other professional meetings. We took part in the recent Europe-wide initiative to increase awareness among European MPs in order to promote epilepsy research through the FP7 and Horizon 20/20 proposal calls. In fact, we achieved a 100% participation and support from Cypriot MPs in the drafting and passing of the white paper on epilepsy and the resolutions to support research.

Every year we co-organize the Pan-Hellenic Epilepsy Congress which is held in different cities throughout Greece and has become the pre-eminent epilepsy meeting in the Greek-speaking world, both with delegates as well as with scientific presentations.

In November 2013 we organized and conducted the 7th Migrating Course on epilepsy in Nicosia in which 37 professionals participated from 14 European and neighboring countries. The course was held 3-9 of November 2013. We had 20 faculty members from Cyprus and the rest of Europe. Five trainers were members of the Cyprus chapter. By general agreement this event was quite successful upholding the tradition of previous migrating courses throughout Europe. The commission on European affairs of the ILAE funded the course along with supplementary funding sources which were procured by the local chapter.

Chapter members have participated in all of the epilepsy congresses in Europe, internationally, and the American Epilepsy Society meetings where usually results of scientific research was disseminated in poster or platform presentation.

Our focus is to continually provide the public with information on the various aspects of epileptology but, also, to provide opportunities for continuing medical education among our members. For this reason, the chapter is organizing, along with the Cyprus Neurophysiological Society, a two day meeting in September 2014 on topics dealing with epilepsy and electrodiagnostic technologies. Moreover, in collaboration with the local Bureau of Epilepsy organization, we strive to improve services and the quality of life of our patients.

The newly elected executive committee of our chapter has also set another goal to increase our membership in order to maintain a significant presence in matters of epilepsy in Cyprus.

May 2015

Migrating Course in Epilepsy, 2013