Fundraising
There are various ways for you to help raise funds towards our
mission to suppport epilepsy awareness. We have list some
suggestions below and you’re also more than welcome to contact
me for more details or advice.
Help Us Raise
Epilepsy Awareness
If you, or a family member or a friend has been affected by
epilepsy, please donate however much you can so that we can
raise the awareness of epilepsy to the public on a national level.
Become a Volunteer
The charity relies heavily on support from individuals who donate
their time voluntarily to work in either of the charity shops or to
assist with our fundraising projects and events.
Epilepsy is still the most common, serious neurological condition in the world but it impacts each person’s life in a unique and individual way.
From May 23 to May 29, National Epilepsy Week will be taking place to raise awareness for those affected by epilepsy, what epilepsy is, who’s affected and what can be done to help those who suffer from this condition.
This week raises awareness of epilepsy with the aim to banish the myths surrounding it. It also highlights the help and support that is available to improve the lives of everyone affected by epilepsy.
23rd May to 29th May 2026
NATIONAL EPILEPSY WEEK
Days
Hours
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Epilepsy
Table of contents
Click on title to scroll down to the corresponding topic
Help spread epilepsy awareness
What is epilepsy?
A neurological disorder marked by sudden recurrent episodes of sensory disturbance, loss of consciousness, or convulsions, associated with abnormal electrical activity in the brain.
How common is epilepsy?
Epilepsy is the most common, serious neurological disorder worldwide. More than half a million people in the UK have epilepsy, which equates to 1 in 100 people.
Epilepsy can affect anyone, of any age, race, or sex, at any time from any walk of life.
There are
100000
people
suffering from epilepsy in the UK
Why does it matter?
- 1 in 100 will have a Seizure in their Lifetime
- 40 Types of Epilepsy (Click here for free PDF)
- In the West Midlands 53,000 suffer from Epilepsy
- Epilepsy is the 4th Most Common Neurological Condition
- There are 600,000 People Suffering from Epilepsy in the UK
- Around the World an Estimated 65 Million People have Epilepsy at any given time
- Approximately 1 in 26 people will develop epilepsy at some point in their lifetime
How Epilepsy Affects Lives
A passion project made by Brooke Wilson and her friends to help educate the community and beyond about epilepsy. As a parent of a child with complex health, she spends a great deal of time advocating and educating about epilepsy.
Types of seizures
There are two main types:
Generalised seizures
Primary generalised seizures involve the whole brain and therefore involve the whole body. There are many types of generalised seizures – some convulsive, others non-convulsive.
- Tonic clonic – Muscle stiffening (tonic stage) and fall to the ground, followed by jerking/convulsive movements (clonic stage). Can last several minutes (previously known as ‘grand-mal seizures’).
- Tonic – Muscle stiffening, fall to the ground.
- Atonic – Loss of muscle tone, fall to the ground. Recovery usually swift.
- Myoclonic – Muscle jerks. Loss of consciousness is usually so brief it is hardly noticeable.
- Absence – Often mistaken for day dreaming. Person goes into brief trance-like state (previously known as petit-mal seizures).
Focal / partial seizures
There are two types of focal seizures: simple focal seizures and complex focal seizures.
- Simple focal seizure – Doctors also refer to simple focal seizures as focal aware seizures.
- During a simple focal seizure, a person remains conscious throughout the event and remembers it when it is over. The episode lasts less than a minute.
- Complex partial seizure – Doctors also refer to complex partial seizures as focal impaired awareness seizures.
- When a person has a complex partial seizure, they lose consciousness during the episode and do not remember the seizure after it is over. The seizure may last for more than a minute.
Common symptoms of seizures
- Confusion
- Wandering
- Jerks & twitches
- Shaking or falling
- Picking or lip smacking
- Staring & unresponsiveness
- Whole body convulsions – grand mal seizure
How is epilepsy treated?
Medication
Epilepsy cannot be cured with medication. However, with the right type and strength of medication, the majority of people with epilepsy do not have seizures. The medicines work by stabilising the electrical activity of the brain. You need to take medication every day to prevent seizures.
Deciding on which medicine to prescribe depends on such things as:
- Your type of epilepsy
- Your age
- Other medicines that you may take for other conditions
- Possible side effects
- Whether you are pregnant or planning a pregnancy
A low dose is usually started. The aim is to control seizures at the lowest dose possible. If you have further seizures, the dose is usually increased. There is a maximum dose allowed for each medicine.
Surgery
Surgery is only possible for a minority of people with epilepsy and it may be considered when medication fails to prevent seizures, especially focal seizures (used to be called partial seizures). Only a small number of people with epilepsy are suitable for surgery and, even for those are, there are no guarantees of success. Also, there are risks from operations. However, surgical techniques continue to improve and surgery may become an option for more and more people in the future.
Multiple Subpial Transections
– Multiple subpial transection (MST) is a surgical technique in which the connections of the epileptic focus are partially cut without resecting it. Palliative surgery for seizure reduction, generally patients does not become seizure free.
Resective Surgery
Temporal Lobotomy
- Removal of a portion of the temporal lobe of the brain
- It is the most common type of epilepsy surgery
- After surgery, 60% to 70% of patients are seizure free
Frontal Lobotomy
- Removal of a portion of the frontal lobe
- It is the second most common type of epilepsy surgery
- After temporal lobotomy 30% to 50% of patients are free of seizures that impair consciousness or cause abnormal movements
Hemispherectomy
– The surgeon removes all or portions of the affected hemisphere. The surgeon also gently separates the hemispheres to access and out the corpus-callostum.
Vagus Nerve Stimulation (VNS)
– A treatment for epilepsy where a small generator is implanted under the skin below the left collarbone. The vagus nerve is stimulated to reduce the frequency and intensity of seizures. This can be suitable for some people with seizures that are difficult to control with medication. The ketogenic diet is a diet very high in fat, low in protein and almost carbohydrate-free. This can be effective in the treatment of difficult-to-control seizures in some children.
How it works: VNS Therapy is delivered through a device (generator and lead) that sends mild pulses through the vagus nerve to areas of the brain known to be associated with seizures. VNS Therapy delivers these periodic pulses all day, in an effort to control your seizures.
Corpus – Colostomy
– This is an operation that severs (cuts) the corpus callosum, interrupting the spread of seizures from hemisphere to hemisphere. Seizures generally do not completely stop after this procedure. Seizures usually become less severe, as they cannot spread to the opposite side of the brain.
Ketogenic diet
The “classic” ketogenic diet is a special high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet that helps to control seizures in some people with epilepsy. It is prescribed by a physician and carefully monitored by a dietitian. It is usually used in children with seizures that do not respond to medications. It is stricter than the modified Atkins diet, requiring careful measurements of calories, fluids, and proteins. Foods are weighed and measured.
- The name ketogenic means that it produces ketones in the body. (keto = ketone; genic = producing) Ketones are formed when the body uses fat for its source of energy.
- Usually the body uses carbohydrates (such as sugar, bread, pasta) for its fuel. Because the ketogenic diet is very low in carbohydrates, fats become the primary fuel instead. The body can work very well on ketones (and fats).
What foods are allowed on a ketogenic diet?
Foods that are generally allowed include high-fat meats, fish, oils, nuts, high-fat dairy such as cheese, and low-carb vegetables.
Unsurprisingly, reducing carb levels means cutting out bread, pasta, rice, and most conventional baked goods. However, achieving such low levels of carbs also means skipping legumes, root vegetables, most fruits and starchy veggies, such as potatoes. It is recommended that carbs are limited to 30g for men and 20g for women per day.
What to do if someone has a seizure?
First aid do’s
First aid dont’s
Quiz time!
Test your knowledge of epilepsy related terms with our Epilepsy Crossword