Epilepsy is a long-term disease that can happen to anyone, no matter their age, gender, level of schooling, or job.

A seizure is a sudden onset of signs and/or symptoms caused by abnormally high or synchronised activity of neurons in the brain. Epilepsy is a brain disease that is marked by a long-term tendency to have seizures and by the neural, cognitive, psychological, and social effects of this tendency. For someone to be diagnosed with epilepsy, they must have had at least one seizure.

- ILAE

WHO says that about 50 million people around the world have epilepsy, and that 80% of people with epilepsy live in poor countries. Epilepsy is found in about 6 to 10 out of every 1000 people in some poor countries. In 1997, the World Health Organisation, the International League Against Epilepsy, and the International Bureau Against Epilepsy started a global campaign against epilepsy with the theme ＂Out of the shadows.＂