National Epilepsy Week

National Epilepsy Week takes place this year between 18th and 24th May. The key theme this year is awareness. During the week there are many special events, including a launch of Epilepsy Scotland’s campaign for more specialist nurses, better epilepsy care, with an MSP’s photo call on 22nd.

What is epilepsy I hear you ask? Well, it is the most common, serious, neurological brain condition. People with epilepsy tend to have repeated seizures. Most seizures stop with the right medication. People can have one seizure and not have epilepsy. What triggers these seizures can be anything from a high temperature to stress, or even happiness.

Being a sufferer myself, I attended a support group meeting at Epilepsy Scotland on 15th May. One of the ladies in attendance mentioned that she made someone laugh, and moments later they had a seizure.

Epilepsy need not be the end of one’s life though. Although juggling medication at the moment, I am able to hold down a job, play golf and do most of the things I would want to do.

A lady who used to work as a successful financial adviser had to stop work completely when her young son was diagnosed with a very serious strain of the illness. He has constant fits all day long, and at one stage could not even speak properly as a result. Whilst his mother could not continue with her previous occupation, she set up a fund raising trust, and recently organised a huge charity fund raising event in London, which raised over £1 million pounds!

If affected yourself, or you know of someone who is, please do contact Epilepsy Scotland, who will be only too happy to help. My contact there is social worker Mike Adair. In the short time I have been dealing with him I have found him fantastic. Little things can make a big difference, like having a card to give to friends and colleagues, telling them what to do should I suffer a fit. Epilepsy becomes less of a mystery to them and they can feel more confident about their ability to cope.

To find out more about the condition, or if you are a sufferer yourself, or know of someone who is, I would strongly encourage you or them to make contact with their local office, be it Glasgow or Edinburgh.

Contact details: Epilepsy Scotland: Tel 0141 427 4911. The Edinburgh office is being officially opened by Nicola Sturgeon on 19th May. Their contact telephone number there is 0131 226 5458. Website: www.epilepsyscotland.org.uk