Comprehensive Epilepsy Center Resources for Patients & Families
NYU Langone’s Comprehensive Epilepsy Center offers a wide variety of resources for patients and families through Finding a Cure for Epilepsy and Seizures (FACES), an organization dedicated to improving the lives of children and adults with epilepsy and seizure disorders, and their families, through research, education, and clinical and community support programs.
The FACES Apartments
The FACES apartments are available free of charge for the families seeking treatment at the Comprehensive Epilepsy Center. The apartments help families traveling from far distances for medical treatment lasting from one to three weeks. The FACES apartments typically have a waiting list, so for best availability, please contact us as early as possible at facesapartments@nyulangone.org.
The FACES Parent Network
The FACES Parent Network provides opportunities to connect with parents on the many issues surrounding care for a child with epilepsy. We pair parents with other parents who have experienced similar issues when dealing with a child or adult who has a chronic illness, called support parents. The connections between parents and support parents are generally through phone and email.
Whether it’s the hospitalization process, educational services, or social support resources, drawing on others’ experience can be quite valuable. FACES support parents are trained to provide a safe listening environment to parents. They are not trained to provide medical advice or professional counseling.
If you are interested in connecting with a support parent or would like more information, please contact Peggy Guinnessey, MPH, CTRS, at 212-263-2644 or peggy.guinnessey@nyulangone.org.
FACES College Scholarship Program
To recognize the personal accomplishments of those living with epilepsy during their college journey, FACES annually provides partial financial support for the education of incoming freshmen or currently enrolled college students who have epilepsy and seizure disorders. Award amounts vary from $500 to $2,500 per student.
Along with a high school or current college transcript and a personal statement, please include a letter of recommendation from someone involved in your academic career indicating why this scholarship will be helpful for your college education. This letter should speak to your character, work ethic, and how epilepsy has affected you. A separate letter of recommendation from a certified medical practitioner who is involved in your medical care is required. This care provider does not need to be an NYU Langone Health provider. This recommendation must state your epilepsy diagnosis or experiences with seizures.
Applications open in January and are due in early June. Award recipients are notified in mid-July. Apply online.
For more information, please call 646-558-0900 or email facesscholarship@nyulangone.org.
Dr. Blanca Vazquez Summer Camp Scholarship
Summer camp can be a wonderful experience for children with epilepsy. Our Summer Camp Scholarship Program, named in honor of Blanca Vazquez, MD, director of epilepsy clinical trials, serves children with epilepsy in financial need and allows them to experience fun, confidence-building activities.
Applications open in January and are due in late May. Award recipients are notified mid-June. Apply online.
If you have any questions or would like more information about the program, please email facesscholarship@nyulangone.org or call 646-558-0900.
FACES Newsletters
Our newsletters highlight FACES programs and activities and feature articles written by patients, caregivers, and staff from NYU Langone’s Comprehensive Epilepsy Center. A hard copy of our annual newsletter is mailed out every September. Our e-newsletters are emailed out to the mailing list approximately five times a year. Email facesinfo@nyulangone.org to sign up for our newsletters.
Peace of Mind Lecture Series
In support of the mission of FACES to improve the quality of life for those living with epilepsy and seizure disorders, the Comprehensive Epilepsy Center offers a series of free lectures to the public to help educate patients and family members. Lectures are provided by doctors and other professionals. To learn more about our webinars, please email us at facesinfo@nyulangone.org.
Peace of Mind Lecture Series Archive
When Is Epilepsy Surgery Appropriate for Children?
In this webinar, pediatric epileptologist Daniel K. Miles, MD, speaks about the use of epilepsy surgery in the treatment of refractory epilepsy in children. Dr. Miles details when surgery needs to be considered, what types of surgical procedures are possible, and when surgery may not be possible.
Events and Programs
FACES hosts a variety of events and programs throughout the year. From fundraising galas—including our annual FACES Gala and freshFACES event—to our annual Game Day and other patient and family programs, we help unite people who are interested in the common goal of raising epilepsy and seizure awareness. For more information about our complete roster of programs and events, please email us at facesinfo@nyulangone.org.
TeamFACES Endurance Events
Lace up your sneakers and compete on TeamFACES. TeamFACES was established in 2013 and has raised over $750,000 to support people with epilepsy and seizure disorders. This program allows athletes to use endurance events as a way to spread epilepsy awareness and fundraise in support of the FACES mission.
TeamFACES is currently a charity partner in official races that include the Panasonic New York City Triathlon in July, the TCS New York City Marathon in November, and the United Airlines New York City Half Marathon in March.
Athletes are encouraged to participate for TeamFACES outside of our official events. Whether you are competing in a community 5K or national race, add meaning to your miles and support TeamFACES. You are provided with a TeamFACES shirt, promotional materials, and fundraising support leading up to your race.
Please contact Quinn Lockwood for additional information on fundraising requirements, team availability, and other TeamFACES questions at quinn.lockwood@nyulangone.org or call 646-558-0824.
Nutrition Services
Registered dietitians at the Comprehensive Epilepsy Center recognize that diet is an integral part of treatment and wellbeing for people with epilepsy and seizure disorders, and help both children and adults maintain a healthy diet to reduce the frequency of seizures.
Improving nutrition and diet quality starts with balanced meal planning, maintaining energy balance, and drinking enough fluids. Eating a variety of foods helps maximize nutrient intake. Our dietitians often recommend “eating the rainbow,” meaning a variety of different colored fruits, vegetables, and grains. Healthy meal planning guidelines emphasize lean protein, low-fat or fat-free dairy products, whole grains, and encourage at least five servings per day of fresh fruits and vegetables.
Our dietitians typically recommend three different diets—a ketogenic diet, a modified Atkins diet, and a low glycemic index diet—and offer advice on which one may be best based on the type of seizures or epilepsy a person has. For more information on dietary therapies for epilepsy and seizure disorders or to make an appointment with one of our registered dietitians, please call us at call 646-558-0900
Contact Us
The success of FACES is due to the supreme generosity of the participants, donors, and business partners throughout our community. There are many ways to give back to FACES, and the options are seemingly endless. Ranging from financial donations, to hosting fundraisers, or simply raising awareness—all help is welcome.
For more information or to participate in any of our programs, please email us at facesinfo@nyulangone.org or call us at 646-558-0900. You can also follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, or make a donation online.