Paws for Purple Day for Epilepsy


Are you wearing purple?

PurpleDay.org
We sure hope so because today is Purple Day® for Epilepsy Awareness! There is so much to share all in an effort to promote awareness for those who live with Epilepsy--humans, canines, cats, horses, even the Easter Bunny (yes, rabbits)! We here at FiveSibes will be focusing on Canine Epilepsy and our #LiveGibStrong K-9 Epilepsy Awareness Campaign, where we share information, resources, and support to other families who are on this journey with their Epi-dogs.  

Woo! Coffee for Hu-Mom!
So grab a cup of coffee, tea, or whatever your preferred drink may be, call over your furbabies, and snuggle in for awhile for this is a lengthy post, but full of so many important things! Be sure to bookmark this page and come back later to check out all the informative links. And you won't want to miss the videos below! (You may need a tissue or two!)

As many of you know, my beautiful Siberian Husky, Gibson, was diagnosed shortly after his third birthday in 2009 with idiopathic Canine Epilepsy, and has become the face of Canine Epilepsy Awareness as we shared our journey of the past seven years with our readers and radio show listeners. 

When Gibson suddenly earned his silver wings this past December (NOT from Epilepsy, but from Heman-giosarcoma discovered while he was under for a splenectomy), the outpouring of love for this amazing boy was so overwhelming and touching. I had no idea just how many lives my Epi warrior touched. And hearing from everyone about how he made a difference in their Epi-dogs' lives, or helped to bring hope and information to others, just means the world to me. This is my first Purple Day without my boy. I won't lie, it's painful, yet bittersweet to know his life and his journey with epilepsy has helped others, and in his name, I will continue our outreach and education about dogs with seizures to others so they know they are not alone, and there are places to go for information, assistance, and support. Gibson was also so brave, strong, and  happy.  It is our hope that all Epi-dogs #LiveGibStrongForever.



Credit for Purple Day goes to the founder, a young girl named Cassidy Megan, who through her own struggles with Epilepsy, wanted to reach out and get people talking about it and remove any stigmas that might exist. I will let our video and a bunch of our beautiful, supportive furpals from across the world show you!


 



As many of you know, today is our second annual Purple Day Blog Hop! And this year we have expanded it to a Media Share, and are so pleased to team up with another brave Epi-warrior, "Rolo," and his mom Kimberley Matchem of Confessions of a Rescue Mom blog! 
#FiveSibes #LiveGibStrong #PurpleDay2016 #LiveGibStrongPurpleDay #RescueMomBlog

If you are not familiar with a Blog Hop, simply grab our badge above here, post it somewhere in your post or website, place a mention & link to our FiveSibes blog (http://FiveSibes.blogspot.com) ~AND~ Confessions of a Rescue Mom blog (http://confessionsofarescuemom.com), grab the "Get the Code" below to paste into your post, and link up by clicking "You Are Next-Click Here to Enter" at the end of this post so your site's thumbnail shows up. Don't have a blog or website and want to link up your pet's purple pic from Instagram or Twitter? Go right ahead!  Be sure to include hashtags! #LiveGibStrongPurpleDay so we can see them and share on our sites & #PurpleDay2016 so Cassidy can see them! Then follow the link-up process below! 
When done linking up, hop around and visit other blogs and posts to see how everyone has "gone purple" and spreading the word about Canine Epilepsy Awareness! 

Education & Support For Each Other is Key!

Did you see our Purple Day for Epilepsy 2016 Facebook Event page?

 Visit HERE and catch up on lots of news, info, links, broadcasts, videos, photos, books, and more for Canine Epilepsy (and a Feline post from Pawesome Cats)! You can also post your pet's purple pics there, too! 

 



 
Beautiful Epi-dog Olivia and Mom are hosting a Purple Day  "Knotty Chaw-Chaw" dog toy giveaway on their Knotty Toys for Good Dogs website! Winner to be announced tomorrow - March 27th, so hurry over to enter HERE.



***Need an intermission? Stand up, stretch your legs, walk your dog, grab a second cup of coffee or tea and come on back to read more! Thank you! ***
 



 Our Purple Day Episode features Willard Moore, founder of The Molly Canine Epilepsy Outreach Program & Molly's Fund through the North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine




A great show on Epilepsy - human and canine - on Radio Non-Profit with host Lainie Sevante’ Wulkan who talks with Kris McNair, president of Epilepsy Support & Education Services, yours truly for ‪#‎FiveSibes‬ ‪#‎LiveGibStrong‬ ‪#‎K9‬ ‪#‎Epilepsy‬ Awareness, and Dr. Katen Muñana & Julie Nettifee, LVT of North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine. Many thanks to Sue Sehi-Smith of Paws to People:Bridges to Cures for uniting us all in this supportive effort! Tune in here:

Many thanks to Knotty Toys for Good Dogs for the tribute to my Epi-Warrior, best buddy, and  heart dog, Gibson. You can read it in their post HERE. Also be sure to check out their Instagram page HERE, and the Oh, the Life of Olivia Facebook page HERE to see all the amazing and beautiful Epi-dogs sharing their pics and stories! 

Be sure to check out their beautiful tribute to Epi-dogs worldwide HERE.

 
Sending some big Husky woos to Pawsitively Pets for highlighting my beloved Gibson as one of their "Pawsome Pets of the Week!" You can read all about him in their post HERE.




Read my full article on the 4Knines blog HERE. 


Check out my full article in Kings River Life Magazine HERE.




As part of our #LiveGibStrong K-9 Epilepsy Awareness Campaign, we help to raise funds for various Canine Epilepsy non-profit organizations and team up with others to do the same! Here's some recent highlights:

I want to thank Gibson's amazing veterinarian team at Kingston Animal Hospital who loved him and gave him the best care for his Epilepsy and for his weak hind issues. Always going above and beyond and treating him as if he was their own. Gibson loved going to the vet! When he was able to walk over, he would take a direct path without any cues right to their back door! Once inside, he was always treated like a celebrity, and he enjoyed every minute of it, bestowing his famous Gibbie kisses on the staff! They have allowed me to put up a collection "doghouse" for donations for Gibson's "Live Gib Strong" awareness bracelets, and to date have raised over $75 in donations over the past two years, and still counting, that has benefitted Canine Epilepsy Resources Epil-K9 Foundation (home of the Epil-K9 List) Emma's Seizure Fund through the North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine.

 These bracelets are also available online at our ArcticHouse Publishing house store HERE.  (Excuse our mess, we are in the middle of revamping our site)!  




Also available through ArcticHouse, are my two books  on Canine Epilepsy, What's Wrong With Gibson? Learning About K-9 Epilepsy, and EPIc Dog Tales: Heartfelt Stories About Amazing Dogs Living & Loving Life With Canine Epilepsy. 


A great Canine Epilepsy resource book and stories of 124 Epi-dogs worldwide!

 A portion of proceeds from both books is donated to Canine Epilepsy Resources Epil-K9 Foundation (home of the Epil-K9 List) Emma's Seizure Fund through the North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine.







 "Gibbie Snacks" are Gibson's namesake treats formulated by House Woof Dog Biscuits with the Epi-dog in mind. For every bag of Gibbie Snacks purchased, House Woof donates $1.00 to The Wally Foundation~Canine Epilepsy (TWF). TWF offers possible financial assistance to families, rescues, and fosters of dogs diagnosed with idiopathic Epilepsy. Our FiveSibes love these treats, so they are not just for Epi-dogs!


Gibbie Snacks are all natural and organic, and they never contain any wheat gluten, preservatives, rosemary (all possible seizure triggers), salt, or sugar! 



YouTube stars Gone to the Snow Dogs conducted a #LiveGibStrong Sock fundraiser, raising $364 that benefitted the Canine Epilepsy Resources Epil-K9 Foundation (home of the Epil-K9 List) Emma's Seizure Fund through the North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine.




"We choose to support Canine Epilepsy after following the story of Gibson for the past few years! Very inspiring!"
~Jessica Hatch, Gone to the Snow Dogs


This past summer saw the very first New York/Long Island Canine Epilepsy Expo and Fundraiser, in conjunction with our #LiveGibStrong campaign, hosted by The Empire State Snow Dogs Club, where $150 was raised for The Wally Foundation~Canine Epilepsy, and $200 for Canine Epilepsy Resources Epil-K9 Foundation!



Harley loved sniffing the checks and was busing wooing, "Show us the money!" As Gibson, above,  prepped the donation checks to Epil-K9 and The Wally Foundation!
Several of the group members graciously volunteered to be reporters on the ground at the event, and this was our first "The Sibe Vibe" Dog Works Radio show with taped segments live from the day of the Expo! Tune in here to here the live segments from the Expo!




And before we sign off, just a reminder that our #LiveGibStrong K-9 Epilepsy Awareness Campaign message will always be, "Dogs can live, and have lived, full and happy lives with Canine Epilepsy, for however long we are blessed to have them." On behalf of furangel Gibson and myself, thank you for all your support and love for Epi-dogs.

Now, let's show the world our purple!



And don't forget to visit and support the Purple Day hoppers listed below, too!


~Or~

Comments

  1. Hailey and Zaphod and their LadyMarch 26, 2016 at 10:27 AM

    We send our love and support to all affected by Epilepsy today.

    ReplyDelete
  2. M. K. ClintonMarch 26, 2016 at 11:17 AM

    Thank you for all the love and support you give to pets with epilepsy. You are making a difference. ♥

    ReplyDelete
  3. M. K. ClintonMarch 26, 2016 at 11:17 AM

    Thank you for all the love and support you give to pets with epilepsy. You are making a difference. ♥

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. FiveSibesMomMarch 26, 2016 at 11:29 AM

      Thank you, M.K. Gibson taught me so much that we hope we can in turn help others. Together, as a community, we can all be such a strong support for other families on this journey called Canine Epilepsy. Thanks for joining us today!

      Delete
  4. ♥♥ The OP Pack ♥♥March 26, 2016 at 1:24 PM

    We sure hope this special day brings some relief to Ciara, it's been a tough week for her. The spring storms have set off another round for her. It is surely going to be a very long season for her.

    Woos - Ciara and Lightning

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. FiveSibesMomApril 1, 2016 at 9:54 PM

      I hope Ciara's seizures become less...and none would be even better. The lunar phases, barometric pressure, sun flares, storms, all certainly can have effects on Epi-dogs. Thinking of dear Ciara. xo

      Delete
  5. SadieMarch 28, 2016 at 11:47 AM

    Thank you for setting up this hop and generating awareness for this cause. We are happy to participate.

    ReplyDelete

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