Support the TGH/USF Seizure Camera Project!

The TGH/USF Epilepsy program has a new initiative to raise funds to assist patients who face financial barriers in obtaining a proper epilepsy diagnosis. Our primary goal is to purchase cameras that will allow patients — whether they experience frequent or infrequent seizures—to capture their events at home.

The TGH/USF Epilepsy team works with patients who need diagnostic tools like ambulatory EEGs or inpatient video-EEGs to accurately diagnose and treat their epilepsy. Unfortunately, many of these patients lack the financial means to access these "gold standard" methods. As a result, we often rely on videos of seizure episodes provided by family members or caregivers to aid in diagnosis. While this has been effective, it is not a resource available to all patients, particularly those who live alone. The video recordings not only help with diagnosing seizure events but also provide clarity on infrequent or new events that may otherwise go undetected.

With your support, we hope to reach our $4,000 goal, which will help to purchase 80 cameras for individuals with epilepsy who are experiencing financial hardship. These cameras will be integral in improving patient safety and care at TGH and USF.

What our experts have to say about the importance of this program: 

“Studies have confirmed the value of cellphone videos in diagnosing seizures, and this can easily be extrapolated to home cameras. At our center, we have seen many cases where video recordings helped revise and fine-tune a patient’s diagnosis. In fact, about one-third of patients diagnosed with difficult "seizures" are misdiagnosed.

The diagnosis of seizures can be challenging because it relies heavily of the description by patient and caregivers. While tools like EEG monitoring can help, they only work well if the seizures or events happen often enough to be recorded in a few days. Unfortunately, for patients who experience infrequent events or face financial and insurance barriers, this is often not possible. 

Getting the right diagnosis is the first step to finding effective treatment. It is our experience that cameras are very helpful for diagnosing seizures, and will make a significant difference for patients — particularly those who live alone or do not have access to EEG-video monitoring.”

 - Dr. Selim R. Benbadis, Director, TGH/USF Comprehensive Epilepsy Program

"To the patients who inspire this initiative, our sponsors, the epilepsy team, and every single donor — thank you for your unwavering support. It is truly an honor to bring this initiative to life alongside you. Together, we are making a difference."

- Marina Azevedo, BsC, Senior Clinical Research Associate, USF Department of Neurology