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The Purple Glow Foundation, Northmead, Lusaka (2026)

29/10/2025

Purple Larks: The Balance; Tradition & Modern Medicine

Seizures are not a new phenomenon. They have been witnessed and described for centuries across the world. When these seizures occur repeatedly and are verified through medical tests, the condition is diagnosed as epilepsy. It’s important to note, however, that while epilepsy involves seizures, not all seizures are epileptic.

Throughout history, different communities have turned to various traditional methods for managing seizures. In Zambia, as in many parts of the world, the first point of help often comes from herbal or traditional remedies—sometimes recommended by family members, "Dr. Neighbor", or local healers. These remedies may involve drinking herbal mixtures, bathing in unknown fluids at night, or even making small skin cuts believed to release “bad spirits.” Some of these methods have shown positive results, while others have led to dangerous or even tragic outcomes.

A report from a small research by our founder Bright M Bwalya brought some information, from his observations and the stories shared by many, certain herbs appear to help in specific cases, his notice was that these types are particularly genetic or mild seizures. However, when the root cause of seizures involves complex brain activity, herbal remedies alone may not be effective. After all, no amount of washing or cutting can remove a structural or neurological abnormality inside the brain.

The major challenge with herbal treatments is lack of regulation—the right dosage, combination, and duration are often unknown. What works for one person can cause serious harm to another. As a result, while some people experience improvement, others suffer grave side effects or worsening of their condition.

At The The Purple Glow Foundation, we have made significant progress in raising awareness about epilepsy, especially in rural communities. Yet, one of the biggest barriers we continue to face is resistance to modern medicine not only in peri-urban but in urban areas too. Some families fear hospitals, others don’t fully understand the condition so choose not to seek help, and many simply rely on what “worked” for their neighbor.

Our message is simple:
Herbs are part of our heritage—but safety comes first. Controlled, evidence-based treatment through modern medicine offers the best chance for managing epilepsy safely and effectively. If we can make modern care feel familiar and approachable, while respecting cultural beliefs, we can bridge the gap and save countless lives.

Familiarity should not be a barrier to safety.
Together, through education and compassion,
We can bring healing that truly lasts.
Yet being a start up institution - we can only do so much,

Are you, willing to help ?

27/10/2025

Glow Friday: University Teaching Hospital - Paediatrics, Clinic 2

An amazing time we had talking to parents today,
And man where they attentive,
Proof enough that people are hungry for knowledge,
Sometimes it's the sources that are few, or the people just to go looking.

The Purple Glow Foundation shall heed to the silent call and spread the truth so that parent can have a calm heart and that child can live a normal life knowing theirs is , a condition manageable, non-communicable and definitely not a demon.

18/10/2025

Purple Larks: One Voice will Be Louder 🔊

The disability sector is made up of diverse conditions that affect real people every day. The need for help extends far beyond the personal level, it reaches families, communities, and organizations that support persons with disabilities.

Attending the just ended Africa Health Tech Seminar in Kigali, our Founder Mr. Bright M Bwalya reflected deeply on this reality, emphasizing that true progress in disability inclusion requires collective effort, shared knowledge, and systems that empower people not only to live but to thrive.

During the seminar, He encountered many important issues within the health and disability space, each one demanding attention. It became clear that there is a great need for Assistive Technology and inclusive innovations to address the wide range of challenges faced by persons living with disabilities.

However, one common pattern stood out. Many leaders representing different disability groups passionately expressed the desire for their specific disability to receive priority attention, as though their condition were more severe or more deserving of immediate help than others. This desire stems from compassion and urgency, as those affected are indeed suffering and in need of support.

Yet from Mr. Bwalya's experience, no disability is greater than another. At the end of the day, each condition represents a form of disadvantage, a person’s inability to do something that others with full physical or cognitive function can do. The difference lies only in what that “something” is.

What all disabilities share in common is the pain, difficulty, and uniqueness of living with the condition, a reality that only the person experiencing it can fully understand. Even among people with the same disability, experiences can differ greatly. You can study, observe, and empathize, but unless you live it, you can never fully know it.

This understanding brings forth a powerful truth: standing together and learning from one another gives us a glimpse into what others go through. That glimpse allows us to think more empathetically, breaking the belief that “our condition needs the most attention.”

Through collaboration, we discover that all conditions need help, some in different ways, but all equally important. When we interact and learn from other disability communities, we begin to see that our struggles are interconnected.

More importantly, such unity fuels innovation while harnessing the power of A.I. When disability groups work together, we can create assistive technologies that cut across multiple needs, tools that don’t just solve one problem but address challenges shared across different conditions.

For example, if a solution developed for Epilepsy can also support people with Cerebral Palsy, there’s no need to “reinvent the wheel.” Recreating similar systems for each disability only leads to duplication and competition. If our focus shifts from “who did it best” to “how can we do it together,” we will stop creating rivals and start creating solutions that matter.

A seamless, collaborative approach will prevent wasted effort, reduce cost, and promote innovation that truly serves all. Working together will also help us abandon the idea of ranking which disability needs help first, instead, we will understand that every condition deserves attention, empathy, and inclusion NOW.

When aid comes, let us manage it collaboratively, much like a government with ministries — each “Ministry” representing a disability group, setting its own goals, budgets, and timelines based on its unique needs. No ministry should see itself as superior based on funding or focus, but as a vital part of one greater mission: improving the lives of people with disabilities, together.

This is how we build a future where disability is not a dividing line but a shared journey, one that inspires empathy, unity, and innovation.

Together, our voices will be louder.
Together, our impact will be stronger.
Together, we can create a world where disability is not a barrier, but a call to collaborate, innovate, and care.

15/10/2025

Purple Lark: The End Became The Beginning

There was a time when life for Bright M Bwalya, our Founder and CEO at The Purple Glow Foundation, seemed to have come to a halt. Epilepsy caught him off guard, came suddenly, unexpectedly and nothing in his life prepared him for what came next. Everything seemed to fall apart. Dreams paused. Plans collapsed.
And in those moments, the world felt silent… as if everything he had been working for had just slipped away.
But as Bright would later say,

“What seemed like the end of my life gave birth to a passion I never knew I had.”

From that tragic moment emerged something powerful, a fire to learn, understand, and change the story for others living with epilepsy and disabilities. What started as personal pain became the seed of purpose.
Bright dove deep into understanding epilepsy not just the medical side, but the lived realities. That journey opened his eyes to the broader disability space, where he discovered the transformative role of Assistive Technology in restoring independence, dignity, and inclusion. And out of that understanding came innovation — the birth of the Seizure Assistant System and a movement that would later grow into the Purple Glow Foundation, a beacon of hope, advocacy, and empowerment for people living with epilepsy and disabilities.
If Bright were to start his story in a funny way, he’d probably say:

took me places I never imagined, literally! I got on a plane for the first time, went to another country for the first time, and stayed in a 5-star hotel with presidential treatment — ALL because of epilepsy! From being picked up at the airport, doors opened for me, bags carried… all expenses paid. Who knew epilepsy could come with such travel benefits?” 😂

But behind the humor lies a powerful truth, It wasn’t luck - it was purpose reshaped through pain.
Bright often reminds the team:

“My reaction to what seemed like the end of my life defined the direction my life took. I wasn’t going to cry forever. I had to set a time to stop crying and make the active decision to not wait for the solution, but to be among the solution creators. After all, who knows the problem better than the one who lives with it?”

That mindset has become the very heartbeat of The Purple Glow Foundation:
Real inclusion starts when the people who face challenges are part of designing the solutions.
Or as Bright puts it so clearly:

“If everyone is included in solution creation, no one is left behind.
So to my fellow persons with disabilities - will you include yourself?”

The Purple Glow Foundation continues to turn lived experience into impact, creating awareness, promoting inclusive innovation, and empowering people with disabilities to lead the change they wish to see.

10/10/2025

Purple Larks: Loud but Silent - Non-Convulsive Seizures

Seizures are not always violent or dramatic — not everyone with epilepsy falls or shakes. Some seizures are silent and easily missed, yet they can affect a person’s life just as seriously. These are called "Non-Convulsive Seizures".

Unlike Convulsive (Tonic-Clonic) Seizures which involve stiffening and jerking; Non-Convulsive Seizures do NOT cause violent body movements. Instead, they mainly affect Awareness, Attention, or Behavior often for just a few seconds or minutes.

Because of this, people often mistake them for Daydreaming, Laziness, Disobedience, or even Mental Illness. Many children and adults in Zambia and beyond go undiagnosed for years because their seizures don’t “look like” seizures.

Picture this:
You’re chatting with a friend, and right in the middle of your conversation, they suddenly go silent and stare blankly. You wave your hand and say, “Hey… hey!” and after a few seconds, they blink, look slightly confused, and say, “Sorry, what were you saying?”
We’ve all seen this happen in people, maybe even experienced it ourselves, but what we don’t realize is that this could have been a "Non-Convulsive Seizure".

What Actually Happens?
Just like in convulsive seizures, there’s a sudden burst of abnormal electrical activity in the brain, but this time, it only affects specific areas, especially those responsible for awareness or movement control. The body doesn’t convulse (shake or stiffen), but the person becomes briefly disconnected from their surroundings.

A few types of Non-Convulsive Seizures exist, these are:
1. Absence Seizures (Petit Mal):
The person suddenly stops what they are doing and stares blankly.
They don’t respond when spoken to.
The episode lasts only a few seconds (often less than 15).
When it’s over, they resume activity as if nothing happened and may not even know it occurred.

2. Focal Impaired-Awareness Seizures (Complex Partial):
The person may move repetitively (lip smacking, fidgeting, rubbing hands).
They may wander, mumble, or seem “absent.”
They appear awake but are unaware and may be confused afterward.

How can one recognize a "Non-Convulsive" Seizure?

Watch out for these signs:
1. Sudden blank stare or unresponsiveness.
2. Repeated blinking, chewing, or lip smacking.
3. Sudden stop in speech or activity mid-sentence.
4. Random movements like walking in circles or fidgeting without purpose.
5. Brief confusion or silence, followed by resuming normal activity.

People experiencing these seizures often have no memory of the event afterward. They can easily be mistaken for spiritual trances, possession, or stubbornness (especially in children) when the person appears conscious but “not themselves.”

So, someone who “zones out” frequently is not bewitched, mentally disturbed, or intentionally ignoring others. This is false.
What’s really happening is that their brain just temporarily disconnects due to abnormal electrical activity in the brain.

09/10/2025

Purple Larks: Convulsive Seizures - Straighten the Hands 😨

In our previous Lark, we talked about Convulsive (Tonic-Clonic) Seizures, the type where a person loses awareness and their body shakes or stiffens. This is the type shown in the video we shared earlier today.

Lets now talk more about a this type of seizure, let us learn about Safety Issues to consider, and at the same time, lets bust a common, very dangerous myth, The “Straighten the Hands” Myth. Many people believe that when someone is having a tonic (convulsive) seizure, their stiffened arms or legs must be forcibly straightened; this is done out of fear that if left bent, they’ll “remain that way forever.” This is a dangerous myth. The stiffness seen during a seizure is temporary and caused by electrical activity in the brain, like we learnt in the previous post, and saw in the video shared today, the stiffness in the limbs eases on its own. Forcing the limbs to straighten can and has caused serious bone or muscle injuries in many people we have talked to. In some - the bone cracking due to applied for has been the actual cause for the damage caregivers actually fear.

This belief, in Zambia and other African countries, comes from confusion between "Epilepsy" and "Cerebral Palsy" - which is a different neurological condition. Cerebral Palsy (CP) occurs when the developing brain (often before or during birth) is damaged, affecting movement, muscle tone, or posture. It’s not caused by seizures or by “failing to straighten” someone's limbs during a seizure. The only similarity between the two, CP and Epilepsy, is that both affect the brain, and some people with Cerebral Palsy can also experience seizures, the conditions however are not the same.

Today's Purple Safety Tip:
During a seizure: Never try to straighten or hold the person down.
Just keep them safe, let the seizure pass, and stay you, the care giver must stay calm - for some people with Epilepsy, waking up in a noisy place with people in panic causes them to experience another seizure because of adrenaline realized as a result of fear - fear is a common Seizure Trigger for many. Stay calm and act safely.
Gently move the person away from sharp or hard objects so they don’t injure themselves (as shown in the video).

So how do you help ?
1. Time the seizure.
Use a watch or your phone to note how long the convulsions last. If they continue beyond 5 minutes, or another seizure begins immediately after, seek emergency medical help.

2. Protect the head.
Slide something soft (a jacket, folded cloth) under the person’s head to cushion against impacts, as demonstrated in the video.

3 Don’t restrain or put anything in their mouth.
Avoid trying to hold them down or force objects into their mouth. This can cause harm or choking. The Jaw is usually stiff during a tonic seizure, trying to open the mouth with force will cause an even stronger reaction from the person, causing more injury.

4. Loosen tight clothing around the neck, remove warm things including socks. Removing the shoes and socks only reduce body temperature and help the seizure to stop - DO NOT put them on the mouth of a person.

5. Turn them onto their side (recovery position) to keep the airway clear. Do this also if you notice foaming at the mouth during the seizure, this prevents chocking on their own saliva, NO, the saliva is not contagious, you will not contract Epilepsy if it touches your skin.

In all this - be very gentle, and when they wake up, speak gently, explain what happened, and monitor for any injuries, you are likely to notice confusion.

08/10/2025

Purple Larks: Convulsive Seizures.

Seizures are NOT and do NOT all look the same.
A general differentiator, aside the many types they are, is that some are "Convulsive" while others are "Non-Convulsive.

Lets talk about "Convulsive Seizure Seizures".
Often called a "Tonic-Clonic" Seizure or "Grand Mal Seizure,
This is the most recognized type of seizure and many, out of ignorance, label it as "Demon Possession" due to the body movements and muscle contractions observed.

To understand these movements, lets start here;
Body movement of any kind for every human starts from the brain - put basically - when you desire to move any moveable part of your body, electricity flows through your neurons in the brain to the part of your body which you intended to move.
However - when there is a sudden, widespread surge of electrical activity in the brain - it causes loss of consciousness in a person and violent muscle contractions can be seen in various parts of body; what we just described is a convulsive seizure.

The triggers for the seizure to happen in an epileptic person many - for some, the very heat we are currently experiencing in the "Hot Season" here in Zambia is a trigger (something that causes the electric surge to happen).

Here’s what typically happens in phases during a convulsive Seizure

1. Tonic phase (stiffening):
The person suddenly loses awareness and their body becomes stiff.
They may let out a cry as air is forced from the lungs.
They may fall to the ground.

2. Clonic phase (jerking):
The body begins to jerk or shake rhythmically, especially in the arms and legs.
Breathing may become irregular or temporarily stop.
The person might bite their tongue or lose bladder control.

3. Postictal phase (recovery):
The jerking stops, and the person may remain unresponsive or confused.
They often feel tired, weak, or sleepy afterward.
They may not remember what happened.

Convulsive seizures are serious but manageable with the right knowledge, medication, and care. - watch out for our First Aid Guidance for these type of Seizures.

01/10/2025

Purple Larks: He’s Being Grilled 🔥

Many people with epilepsy experience different types of seizures, triggered by many different things. For some, it’s sudden noise. For others, it’s anger. And for many, it’s FEAR 😱.

When someone is frightened, the body naturally releases adrenaline. This raises the heart rate, builds body heat, and creates tension. For those whose seizures are triggered by fear, that moment, or a prolonged state of fear can spark a chain reaction leading to a seizure.

The Foundation is currently handling a case involving a young man in a boarding school. The school reached out after noticing repetitive seizures. One teacher, remembering our founder’s awareness session at UTH’s Clinic 4, contacted us and even shared a video of the boy’s seizure. From our assessment, these appear to be partial seizures.

What stood out was the pattern: His seizures occurred at almost the same times each day, around midday or 6PM during study sessions. To test this, he was allowed to study alone. No seizure occurred. This pointed us to two likely triggers:

1. Excessive Heat: Zambia is experiencing very high temperatures this season. Studying in a crowded, poorly ventilated room raises body heat and heart rate significantly. The situation worsens with strict school rules requiring students to wear sweaters at all times. This is unsafe not just for those with epilepsy, but also for those on the autism spectrum and others sensitive to heat.

2. Fear and Stigma: In group settings, the young man may be facing mockery, stigma, or the fear of embarrassment. Emotional pressure fuels nervousness, which spikes adrenaline levels and can trigger seizures.

In both cases - the GenZ double entendre applies - "He's Being Grilled". But What can be done?

1. Schools should relax rules about wearing sweaters during hot seasons. “The smart man knows no weather” may be a saying, but not every body can endure extreme heat.
2. Communities must promote epilepsy awareness. No student should fear being mocked when they have a seizure. They deserve to feel safe, understood, and supported.

No one should have to study in fear of their own body—or the judgment of others. Epilepsy must be openly discussed, free from stigma, so that those living with it can feel comfortable and accepted in every space.

30/09/2025

A newborn not crying at birth is not a call for “discipline session” with slaps on the backside please ! 🤣

In fact, slapping a baby can cause harm to the brain and may increase risks of complications including seizures which may occur later on in the child's life.

The correct medical response is to ensure the baby’s airway is clear then gently stimulate them under medical guidance e.g. provide more oxygen to the baby, do not use force.

Let’s spread awareness:
Healthy beginnings matter,
Safe care at birth can reduces the chances or and even prevent .

12/04/2025

Focal impaired awareness seizure
(previously called a complex partial seizure)
Focal impaired awareness seizures affect a bigger part of one hemisphere (side) of the brain than focal aware seizures.
The person’s consciousness is affected and they may be confused. They might be able to hear you, but not fully understand what you say or be able to respond to you. They may not react as they would normally. If you speak loudly to them, they may think you are being aggressive
and so they may react aggressively towards you.
FIAS often happen in the temporal lobes but can happen in other parts of the brain.

Focal impaired awareness seizures that start in the temporal lobe may include:
picking up objects for no reason or fiddling with clothing
chewing or lip-smacking movements
muttering or repeating words that don't make sense
wandering around in a confused way.
These seizures may last around two or three minutes.

Focal impaired awareness seizures that start in the frontal lobe may include:
making a loud cry or scream
making strange postures or movements such as cycling or kicking.
These seizures usually last around 15 - 30 seconds.

Focal impaired awareness seizures in the parietal or occipital lobes are less common than in the temporal or frontal lobes. Like the focal aware seizures, focal impaired awareness seizures in the parietal and occipital lobes can affect the person’s senses or vision. These seizures usually last around 15 - 30 seconds.

After a focal impaired awareness seizure, the person may be confused for a while, sometimes called 'post-ictal' (after seizure) confusion. It may be hard to tell when the seizure has ended. The person might be tired and want to rest. They may not remember the seizure afterwards. - Source Epilepsy Society.

The Purple Glow Foundation

29/10/2025

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Monday	09:00 - 17:00
Tuesday	09:00 - 17:00
Wednesday	09:00 - 17:00
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