UCB Family Epilepsy Scholarship Program™ Announces 2016 Recipients

ATLANTA, Nov. 10, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- UCB, Inc. today announced 40 recipients of the 2016 UCB Family Epilepsy Scholarship, recognizing outstanding individuals affected by epilepsy who are pursuing higher education as part of their effort to achieve their dreams and goals.  Epilepsy is a chronic neurological condition affecting approximately three million people in the U.S. and 40 million people worldwide. 

Over the past 12 years, UCB has awarded nearly 400 hundred scholarships totaling $1.9 million to people whose lives have been directly affected by epilepsy. This includes not only those living with epilepsy, but also their family members and others involved in their care, who are critically important partners in successfully managing epilepsy.

"We are excited to have the extraordinary opportunity to help motivated and outstanding students from across the nation achieve their academic goals," said Simon Lucas, head of UCB's U.S. Neurology Patient Value Unit.  "We look forward to seeing how these students will continue to spread epilepsy awareness in their communities of higher education."

A committee of healthcare professionals and EpilepsyAdvocates™ selected this year's 40 recipients from more than 500 applications based on personal excellence, community achievements and determination to overcome seizures that interrupt daily life. Recipients received scholarships of $5,000 to use toward tuition to pursue higher education in undergraduate or graduate programs, or technical school.

This year, two of the scholarship recipients received $10,000 Epilepsy Leader Scholarships, honoring the late Sandra Helmers, M.D., M.P.H. and the late John M. Pellock, M.D., trailblazers in epilepsy research and treatment and members of the UCB Family Epilepsy Scholarship selection committee who both passed away earlier this year.  Dr. Helmers was Professor of Neurology at Emory University School of Medicine and worked closely with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Managing Epilepsy Well Network. Dr. Pellock was Chairman of the Division of Pediatric Neurology at Virginia Commonwealth University, where he focused his work on advocacy and civil rights for all people living with epilepsy and seizures, especially children.

2017 Scholarship Online Application will be Available on November 28, 2016
For more information about applying for the 2017 UCB Family Epilepsy Scholarship Program™, please visit www.ucbepilepsyscholarship.com.

About Epilepsy^1,2
Epilepsy is a chronic neurological disorder of the brain. It is the fourth most common neurological condition worldwide and affects approximately 65 million people. In the U.S., approximately three million people have epilepsy. Anyone can develop epilepsy; it occurs across all ages, races and genders, and is defined as one or more unprovoked seizures with a risk of further seizures. One third of patients with epilepsy live with uncontrolled seizures.

For Further Information:
Kristie Madara
U.S. Corporate Communications, UCB
770-970-8726
[email protected]

Samantha Lish
212-886-2206
[email protected]

About UCB
UCB, Brussels, Belgium (www.ucb.com) is a global biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery and development of innovative medicines and solutions to transform the lives of people living with severe diseases of the immune system and of the central nervous system. With more than 7,500 people in approximately 40 countries, the company generated revenue of € 3.9 billion in 2015. UCB is listed on Euronext Brussels (symbol: UCB). Follow us on Twitter: @UCB_news

1. The Epilepsy Foundation of America. Who Gets Epilepsyhttp://www.epilepsy.com/learn/epilepsy-101/who-gets-epilepsy. Accessed 12th November 2015.
2. The Epilepsy Foundation of America. What is Epilepsy?http://www.epilepsy.com/learn/epilepsy-101/what-epilepsy Accessed 12th November 2015.

SOURCE UCB