Are you #Seizuresavvy? What my son’s epilepsy has taught me

Epilepsy affects 1 in 100 people. One of them is my son Finn.

As a parent you always want to be able to look after your child, protect them from harm, make them better. But epilepsy robs you of those parental powers.

The first time Finn had a tonic-clonic seizure (commonly known as a fit) I felt utterly helpless. It was made worse by the fact it happened on holiday in Spain, where I didn’t speak the language.

I will never forget standing in that tourist gift shop, consoling my sobbing daughter as we watched her brother convulsing on the floor, paramedics cutting off his clothes and shouting in words that I didn’t understand. There was nothing we could do except watch the trauma unfold before our eyes.

Are you #seizuresavvy? Three simple steps

It’s easy to feel helpless when someone is having a tonic-clonic seizure, but as we returned to the UK and came to terms with Finn’s diagnosis, we learned that there are things you can do.

These actions are being highlighted by the Epilepsy Society in this year’s National Epilepsy Week.

With 1% of the population suffering from epilepsy, the Epilepsy Society is asking if you are #seizuresavvy? Would you know what to do if someone had a seizure in front of you?

The charity’s new campaign gives people three simple but key instructions to remember during a tonic-clonic seizure: “Calm, Cushion, Call.”

1. Stay calm and take control of the situation
2. Cushion the person’s head with something soft
3. Call an ambulance if it lasts longer than five minutes

Cycling for L’Etape for #teampurple

The Epilepsy Society does more than run vital awareness campaigns like #seizuresavvy. It is also the world’s leading charity for epilepsy research, working in conjunction with University College London.

Despite epilepsy being a relatively common condition, much is still unknown about its causes.

And that is why I’m riding in this year’s L’Etape UK – the official sportive of the Tour de France in the UK – with three of my colleagues. Together, we want to raise money for the  Epilepsy Society.

To find out more about our ride as we join Epilepsy Society’s #teampurple of fundraisers, and to help support this amazing charity, head over to our Virgin Money Giving page (link below). All contributions welcome!

Sponsor John and his fellow Formative Content cyclists

Go to: https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/Team/FormativeContent

John McKenna is a Senior Content Editor at Formative Content.