The S.E.E. program - seizure and epilepsy education

[Bernard]

Has anyone here attended one of Mr. Mittan's S.E.E. Seminars? An EFA rep recommended it to Stacy and she wants to check it out. I was just wondering if anyone had found it worthwhile.

[Elisa]

what is it? I'm always looking for fun and new stuff.. wonder if they ever come to maine.....NOT

[Bernard]

It's a weekend seminar that discusses types of seizures and epilepsy, triggers, treatments, etc. There's a lot of info on their web site. Looks like they do seminars all over the place.

Stacy and I will be going to the next seminar in Georgia in September. She really wants to go and it's a week or so after her birthday, so looks like she picked her present - a weekend getaway...

[Elisa]

Well, you guys will just have to let us know how it is. The closest one to me is New York or New Jersey. They are not until 06 , so I got a while to wait.
Either way it should be a nice weekend away.
:wink:

[Birdbomb]

I sent the information about S.E.E. to the facilatator of my support group.
Here is what transpired.

From: "Robert Mittan, PhD" <****@****.net>
Date: June 20, 2005 2:52:23 PM PDT
To: <******@****.net>
Subject: RE: Epilepsy Support Group of Las Vegas
Reply-To: <****@****.net>


Dear Mrs. Alvarez,

Thank you for your inquiry. I am available to go to Las Vegas and
would be interested in presenting there.

There is a flat fee for the program of $5000. This fee includes two
days of presentation and also travel and lodging. This fee is made
possible by additional support already provided.

I am not sure of your organization or its resources. Typically I
present the S.E.E. program on behalf of an Epilepsy Foundation
affiliate, a comprehensive epilepsy center, or a hospital with an
epilepsy unit. I assume you may be a small, independent group. Under
those circumstances, the usual way to set up a program is through a
local medical center with an epilepsy unit. They are often able to
provide some support and an auditorium for the program. In addition,
if the epilepsy unit is involved, they are usually able to get
additional funding from the pharmaceutical companies that make
antiepilepsy medications. Independent groups have also sponsored
S.E.E. programs entirely on their own.

Registration fees for people attending the program are always
charged,
but the amount is up to the local sponsor. We always offer a
scholarship program for those individuals who truly cannot afford the
fee. As you can tell from the website, the usual fee for an
individual
is $99 for both days, and $149 for a family for both days. S.E.E. is
also approved to award continuing education credit for nurses, and
some sponsors charge nurses extra for the credit. A hospital may be
more likely to sponsor a program if its nurses can attend at a
reduced
price or for free. There are really quite a number of ways the
registration fees can be arranged.

I hope that gives you an initial idea of what is involved. Please
email me back if you have further questions.

Thank you for writing.

Sincerely,

Robert Mittan, PhD
Author & Presenter
Seizures & Epilepsy Education (S.E.E.)
www.theseeprogram.com

He ain't cheap and we have such a small group. I only show up 3-4 times a year at best, and that is usually because she has asked me to speak to the group.

[Elisa]

Your not kidding he ain't cheap. Is he going to come, and talk to you guys?

Hay, BB I love your new saying at the bottom of your signature,I'm going to steal it.

Work like you don't need money, Love like you've never been hurt, And dance like no one's watching.

[Bernard]

Thanks BB. Looks like it will be cheaper for us to travel to Georgia for a weekend than have him come to Houston. I guess I could always ask the EFA Southeast Texas chapter if they would sponsor his seminar for Houston though - they did it for Cyberonics' VNS Therapy...

[Birdbomb]

Here is what Dania wrote back

I think he is NUTS no matter what and no Hospital will sponsor him
having better Neurologists and Epileptologists around. We have been
very fortunate that Sunrise for the last four years has offered us a
room, a nurse and refreshments and on top of that sometimes
will help with now and then with presentations from their own staff.

We both have learned something that is not new. He is one of those
people taking advantage of the disadvantage of others.

But please, anytime you find anything interesting let's share it. I
am always "surfing" also, even if I "drown".
Thanks for helping Donna, I really appreciate it.

Dania

Now I may not agree with her about the quality of doctors and care here in Las Vegas but she does have a valid point. I too think he is also taking advantage cost wise. If he is working with the EFA and/or affilliates plus charging an admission fee of $100 a pop, that is a lot of money for a small group like ours to digest. Knowing how this community works, very few would attend. Even free seminars have plenty of open seats available.
Last year Sunrise Hospital sonsered "Nevada Neuroscience Institute Conference " It was very informative and free to any and all. Professional and non. I took notes and posted them on my board but since they recieved little attention I "archive" (wink,wink) them.
If you find them informative, please feel, free to copy and paste them on your forum (linking won't work). If you have any problems just give me a call.


Petunia---for you kiddo
http://www.paradiseawaits.com/Dance.html
http://s4.invisionfree.com/VNS_Messa...?showtopic=170

[Bernard]

I understood that the sponsoring group was charged a flat fee of $5K and whatever is charged for admission is kept by the sponsoring group so that a large enough crowd could turn a profit for the them (the sponsoring group).

Ie. The "Coping With Epilepsy Forum" could:

• hire him for $5K
• spend $1K advertising the seminar
• spend $1K on a catered meeting place
• charge $100 per individual (more for nurses seeking accredation credits)

... and need 70 registrants to break even. A hospital or EFA chapter obviously would have lesser costs for advertising and meeting facilities, so they could break even much easier (especially if they can get subsidized funding for the 5K fee).

I would imagine that this could easily turn a profit for the sponsoring group in a large city like Houston.

edit: whoever is sponsoring the event in Georgia in September must have more attractive numbers to work with because they are only charging $40 per individual.

[Bernard]

Last year Sunrise Hospital sonsered "Nevada Neuroscience Institute Conference " It was very informative and free to any and all. Professional and non. I took notes and posted them on my board but since they recieved little attention I "archive" (wink,wink) them.
If you find them informative, please feel, free to copy and paste them on your forum (linking won't work).

Since the search function is disabled on your board, could you send me a PM with directions on how to find this archived material? I looked around for a while and didn't see it, but I'm not sure what I'm looking for.

[Bernard]

Well, the S.E.E. program scheduled for September 17 & 18 was cancelled. They only had 4 people signed up and Stacy and I were two of them. I guess we might try again if a reasonable opportunity crops up again.