The Ted-E-Bear Connection Program for children under 10 gives comfort and free support services to children and their families with epilepsy in the Greater Hobart area. Partici­pants receive a cute and cuddly Ted-E-Bear to help them through appointments and treatment, along with crucial help and advice from specialist epilepsy nurses.

Run by Epilepsy Action Aus­tralia, the free program also offers a Facebook peer-support group and online education. “Studies show around one-third of children with epilepsy will suffer anxiety and up to 25% have depression; they can also end up socially isolated and lonely,” says Epilepsy Action Australia CEO, Carol Ireland. “Ted-E-Bear Connec­tion gives them smiles and eases their parents’ fears with reliable information about epilepsy and safe seizure response.”

The initiative has received funding from the Allport Be­quest to continue their work. For further details please con­tact epilepsy@epilepsy.org.au.