CBS Cares PSAs Featuring Emmy Award Winning Actor Eric Braeden To Be Broadcast Monday, July 17 and Tuesday, July 18


The Number One Daytime Drama THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS will feature a story promoting epilepsy awareness when longtime character Victor Newman is diagnosed with temporal lobe epilepsy in an episode to be broadcast Monday, July 17 on the CBS Television Network. Emmy Award-winning actor Eric Braeden, who has portrayed Victor Newman for 26 years, will record CBS Cares PSAs in cooperation with the Epilepsy Foundation, which will be broadcast Monday, July 17 and Tuesday, July 18 immediately following the episodes. The televised messages will give more information about epilepsy as well as a web address and telephone number to help viewers cope with the many issues that come with the condition.

Victor Newman's family and friends have noticed changes in his behavior since he and his wife were carjacked several months ago. As the once ruthless businessman turned over control of his company to his children and spent his time charming his wife with dance lessons, buying a new puppy and doting on his grandchildren, people chalked up his behavior to a new appreciation for life. But when blackouts and hallucinations are diagnosed as temporal lobe seizures, his family realizes that what they thought was a new and improved Victor is actually a man with an electrical disturbance in his brain due to an undiagnosed head injury sustained in the carjacking.

Epilepsy is the most common neurological condition in children and the third most common in adults after Alzheimer's and stroke. Some three million people in the U.S. have some form of epilepsy, and 200,000 new cases are diagnosed each year. In about 70 percent of cases there is no known cause. Of the remaining 30 percent, some of the most frequent causes include brain tumor, stroke and head trauma.

"CBS is proud to be able to use this forum to raise awareness about epilepsy, and as the story unfolds, viewers will have the opportunity to not only see how Victor himself deals with his diagnosis, but how his family reacts as well," said Barbara Bloom, Senior Vice President, Daytime Programs, CBS. "We are fortunate to have an actor of Eric Braeden's caliber to play out these events, and we hope our audience will find them remarkable."

"For many people with epilepsy the biggest problem is not the disorder itself," explained Eric Hargis, president of the Epilepsy Foundation, "but society's attitude toward people with the condition. The facts are, however, that most people with epilepsy can lead successful, seizure-free lives with appropriate treatment and medication. We're extremely pleased with CBS's decision to partner with us to help bring epilepsy out of the shadows by associating the condition with one of the network's most renowned programs and famed actors."

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THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS has been the Number One-rated daytime drama for more than 17 years and is in its 34th season. The show is broadcast weekdays (12:30-1:30 PM/11:00 AM-12:00 PM ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network and is produced by Bell Dramatic Serial Company in association with Sony Pictures Television.

The Epilepsy Foundation (www.epilepsyfoundation.org), a national voluntary health organization, established in 1967, works to ensure that people with seizures are able to participate in all life experiences; to improve how people with epilepsy are perceived, accepted and valued in society; and to promote research for a cure.

Press Contact: Cindy Marshall (CBS) 323-575-2019 cindy.marshall@tvc.cbs.com
Kimberli Meadows (EFA) 301-918-3747 kmeadows@efa.org

Photo Contact: Kathleen Tanji (CBS) 323-575-2794 kathleen.tanji@tvc.cbs.com