Our Goals

Since its founding, the Epilepsy Foundation has advocated for the rights of people with epilepsy and strongly supported the creation of civil rights laws, such as the Americans with Disabilities Act. And we have done so with the support and guidance of inspirational leaders like Jeanne A. Carpenter.

Jeanne A. Carpenter, a lawyer, former Epilepsy Foundation board of directors chair and a person with epilepsy, was a tireless advocate for people with epilepsy from the time she was first diagnosed with the condition until her untimely passing in March 2003. During her long tenure on the Foundation's board of directors, Jeanne advocated for programs to improve the quality of lives of people with epilepsy and to fight discrimination in all aspects of life. She believed epilepsy should not limit one's opportunities.

The Epilepsy Foundation's Jeanne A. Carpenter Epilepsy Legal Defense Fund seeks to continue this tradition and make Jeanne's dream a reality by fighting discrimination in:

• employment;
• schools;
• public accommodations like camps, childcare facilities, stores, hotels, theaters and fitness clubs;
• public programs and services, including police and EMT response to seizures;
• housing;
• insurance;
• parental custody disputes;
• criminal justice matters; and
• transportation.