VICTORIA- Minister of Health Terry Lake issued the following statement in recognition of Isodicentric 15 (Idic15) Awareness Day on Oct. 15, 2013:

"I am proud to say that we have proclaimed the first Idic15 Awareness Day in support of families, children and adults who have this rare chromosomal disorder, which can cause profound cognitive and developmental delays. We can all show our support by wearing a green and purple ribbon to mark this day.

"Communities around the world come together today to recognize the effects of this disorder. There is currently has no known treatment, and Idic15 can greatly affect quality of life and life-expectancy, and remains undiagnosed for many patients.

"It is thought that around 40 families in Canada have been diagnosed with Idic15, but that number may be higher due to the rarity of the disorder worldwide and the difficulty in diagnosis.

"Idic15 causes seizures in over 50 per cent of patients, and symptoms may cause many patients to be diagnosed on the autism spectrum and will often cause gross motor and fine motor delays, placing patients at an increased risk of sudden unexpected death due to epilepsy.

"British Columbians can learn more about Idic15 through Idic15 Canada, a non-profit organization that offers support, advocacy and information to patients and families affected by this disorder. More information is available online at: www.idic15canada.ca

"We encourage families to increase their knowledge of Idic15 to further raise awareness of this rare and heartbreaking disorder."

Media contact:

Ryan Jabs
Media Relations Manager
Ministry of Health
250 952-1887 (media line)