Biopharma Company UCB Unveils 40 Deserving 2010 Family Epilepsy Scholarship Recipients

ATLANTA, Nov. 9, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, UCB, Inc. celebrates the academic success of the 2010 UCB Family Epilepsy Scholarship recipients.  Over the past 6 years, UCB has awarded more than 200 scholarships, totaling over $1 million, to people whose lives have been directly affected by epilepsy, including those with epilepsy, their caregivers and family members.  Epilepsy is a common neurological condition that can affect anyone at anytime.  In the United States, 1 in 100 people are living with epilepsy.

"It is inspiring to see that year after year UCB recognizes the dreams of people affected by epilepsy and supports these individuals in accomplishing their academic aspirations," said Brien Smith, MD, Henry Ford Hospital, Neurology.

This year, 40 recipients were selected from a pool of nearly 800 applicants. UCB awarded 30 scholarships to people living with epilepsy and 10 scholarships to family members or caregivers of someone living with epilepsy.  Each recipient will receive a scholarship of $5,000 for tuition at colleges, graduate schools and technical schools across the country.  Applicants were considered based on their application, personal essay, letters of recommendation and their determination to live beyond the boundaries of epilepsy.

This year's recipients will be honored on the UCB Family Epilepsy Scholarship Facebook page.  To see photos and quotes from the 2010 recipients, read updates from past scholarship recipients and learn more about the UCB Family Epilepsy Scholarship Program™, please go to Facebook.com/UCBEpilepsyScholarship.  

2010 Scholarship Recipients and Their Selected Learning Institution:

About Epilepsy

Epilepsy is a chronic neurological disorder affecting approximately 50 million people worldwide and three million people in the U.S.—making it more common than multiple sclerosis and Parkinson's disease combined. It is caused by abnormal, excessive electrical discharges of the nerve cells, or neurons, in the brain. Epilepsy is characterized by a tendency to have recurrent seizures and defined by two or more unprovoked seizures. There are many different seizure types and epileptic syndromes. Roughly 20-30 percent of people living with epilepsy have either uncontrolled seizures or significant side effects secondary to medication. This highlights the ongoing need for the development of new AEDs. For more information about epilepsy, visit www.EpilepsyAdvocate.com.

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 or of the central nervous system. With more than 8,000 people in about 40 countries, the company generated revenue of EUR 3.1 billion in 2009. UCB is listed on Euronext Brussels (symbol: UCB).

The UCB Family Epilepsy Scholarship Program™ is a trademark of the UCB group of companies.

SOURCE UCB