Supported by Epilepsy Action, National Epilepsy Week aims to raise awareness about epilepsy and gather support for people with epilepsy.
Epilepsy is a condition in which a person experiences recurrent seizures. Seizures are caused by a sudden increase of excess electrical activity within the brain. As the brain controls all of the bodily functions, how epilepsy affects the body will depend on the electrical signals being disrupted. The area of the body affected by epilepsy and how widespread it is will vary from person to person; the way people experience epilepsy is unique.
There are over 600,000 people in the UK with a known diagnosis of epilepsy. That’s about 1 in 103 people. In every week over 600 people are given an epilepsy diagnosis; that’s 87 each and every day. Shockingly there are 21 epilepsy-related deaths every week; that’s over 1000 every year.
Support provided by Epilepsy Action includes:
- Online groups, where you can find shared experiences and mutual support.
- The Epilepsy Space – a website for young people packed with stories and support on a range of topics.
- Epilepsy cast – a podcast bringing you the latest epilepsy news and stories
