Professional Golfer Jeff Klauk Tees Off New Pledge Campaign for People Living with Epilepsy

Golfer is the first to take online Pledge, an outlet for epilepsy patients and caregivers to take action and ask themselves, “Am I really okay?”

(ATLANTA) — Global biopharmaceutical company UCB, Inc. and professional golfer Jeff Klauk today announced the launch of a new Pledge campaign for people with epilepsy and their loved ones. The Pledge empowers the millions of Americans living with epilepsy to take a stand and make a personal commitment to demand more: greater understanding of the condition, better collaboration with their health care team and additional partial-onset seizure control.  More information is available at www.ourtimeourpledge.com.

Jeff Klauk

Epilepsy is a chronic neurological condition that affects 3 million Americans and 65 million people worldwide.1 Anyone can develop epilepsy; it occurs across all ages, races and genders. Even though one in three adults knows someone with the disorder, it remains among the least understood chronic medical conditions.1

Jeff Klauk’s experience with epilepsy has been a winding journey, dating back to 2006 when he first began experiencing seizures.  He had his first partial-onset seizure in 2010, but did not get an official epilepsy diagnosis until 2011. Klauk then began working with an epileptologist — a neurologist that specializes in epilepsy2 — to get additional control of the condition, and was started on a new treatment regimen that included the addition of the antiepileptic drug VIMPAT (lacosamide) C-V to manage his partial-onset seizures. The most common adverse reactions reported with VIMPAT include dizziness, headache, nausea, and double vision.

While Klauk’s partial-onset seizures are typically 30-second periods where he spaces out and chuckles, partial-onset seizures vary from person to person and can also present as twitching or a sudden emotional swing.

“Almost 60 percent of people who have seizures experience partial-onset seizures,3 and while some have trademark characteristics like Jeff’s that make them easier to identify, others might be barely perceptible, even to the person having them,” said Kelly Simontacchi, Ph.D., Medical Director, CNS at UCB. “Even the most subtle partial-onset seizures cannot and should not be taken lightly.”

A critical step for people experiencing partial-onset seizures may be to seek care from a specialist, who can help them manage their condition.

“My personal Pledge was going the extra mile to seek out the best health care team I could find and have the most productive conversations with them as possible,” said Klauk, whose first partial-onset seizure occurred as he was driving his family to church. “Epilepsy is not something to hide from. I encourage others affected by partial-onset seizures to speak candidly with their doctors and loved ones, and go online to take their own Pledge.”

UCB’s Pledge campaign isn’t just for those living with epilepsy. Caregivers, who are often on the front lines of epilepsy management with their loved ones, are also invited to take the Pledge.

“I took the Pledge for the one I love the most, and constantly strive to better understand the condition and how it impacts Jeff,” said Shanna Klauk, Jeff’s wife and the one he credits as his ‘anchor’ in helping him to manage his condition. “Standing outside Jeff’s condition gives me a perspective that he doesn’t have. The vantage point of a family member or loved one can be invaluable to someone living with epilepsy, both in the doctor’s office and in everyday life.”

UCB, a leader in epilepsy and the maker of VIMPAT, an add-on medication used to treat partial-onset seizures in adults with epilepsy, is committed to transforming the lives of people living with severe diseases through conducting scientific research, developing treatments and creating programming for health care professionals and patients. The company’s latest initiative is a simple but important step in helping the epilepsy community obtain additional or improved seizure control and encourages the public to shift their mindset, take action and support a nationwide movement of people ready to do more.  Pledges can range from improving communication, educating friends and family about epilepsy or encouraging others not to settle for their current level of seizure control.  More information and tips for living the Pledge can be found online.

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