It’s Giving Tuesday, so we sat down with one of the Institute’s Founding Funders, Anna, to discuss her experience of developing epilepsy in adulthood and why she chose to support the Epilepsy Research Institute.
Aged 31, I had my first seizure at 5 am in the morning on the kitchen floor. I was feeding my 6-month-old daughter at the time. The first thing I knew, I was coming round in a hospital bed—a very frightening experience.
I am incredibly fortunate that my epilepsy is controlled by medication. For a third of people who live with the condition, they have no means of controlling their seizures which severely impacts their lives.
Research can help develop life-changing innovations for people living with epilepsy, but sadly, such research has been hampered by chronic underfunding.
The Epilepsy Research Institute was founded last month. The institutional status enables researchers to apply for much-needed grants to accelerate research innovations in preventing and treating epilepsy.
As a Founding Funder, I feel privileged and excited to be part of this dynamic organisation and hopefully help people living with epilepsy to live their lives to the fullest.
Over 600,000 people in the UK live with epilepsy, and as Anna says, a third still live with seizures that are not controlled by medication. Shockingly, epilepsy claims the lives of three people every day in our country alone.
We know that research is the only way to push statistics like these in the right direction.
This Giving Tuesday, would you join Anna in support of the Epilepsy Research Institute’s mission?
Donations to the Institute will help radically advance research to provide more people with a life free from epilepsy.
If you’re interested in becoming a Founding Funder of the Epilepsy Research Institute, get in touch for more information.