Ms O’Bree was diagnosed with epilepsy at age 10 and underwent extensive brain surgery in 2012 to be epilepsy-free.
She has raised over $30,000 for the cause since starting her morning teas in 2013.
Purple Day is held on March 26 around the world; however, the Epilepsy Foundation and other bodies have expanded the awareness-raising campaign to ‘Make March Purple for Epilepsy’.
Ms O’Bree has partnered with Echuca Workers, Echuca-Moama Family Medical Practice and Trilogy for Hair to sell purple merchandise and her iconic purple ribbons, which are handmade.
“All the shops are selling purple ribbons made by me as well as the merchandise to bring awareness to epilepsy,” she said.
“I make roughly 1000 of them every year, and all staff try to wear them throughout March.
“The three months leading up to March is the busiest time for making the ribbons.
“I do it so when people walk into the shops or doctors, they look at the ribbons and say, ‘Oh, it’s Purple Day’.”
Several schools in the Campaspe Shire have taken to the ‘Make March Purple for Epilepsy’ initiative, holding mufti days to raise money for the cause.
“The schools in Echuca, Rochester and Lockington all have a purple day where they pay a dollar to wear purple to school,” Ms O’Bree said.
The morning tea will be held at Echuca Workers where Jenny Reid and Jennafer Whelan will discuss their experiences of living with epilepsy and raising a child with epilepsy, respectively.
There will also be food, drinks, lucky door prizes and a raffle.
Ms O’Bree thanked the event sponsors for their donations.
“The businesses have been really good with the prizes they have given for our lucky door and raffle draws,” she said.
“There is $1000 in prizes to be won.”
Ms O’Bree said she was happy with her fundraising efforts so far and that she had been able to do more to help since being epilepsy-free.
“It feels good to be able to raise money for epilepsy, especially with the result I had,” she said.
“If I was still epileptic, I may not have been able to do any of this.”
If you wish to attend the morning tea, contact Shirley O’Bree as soon as possible on 0418 505 243.
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