Young people with epilepsy share personal experiences
March 2010 by Melody PattersonTeenagers with epilepsy were given the opportunity to meet other young people with the condition, at an event aimed to help them cope with the effects of epilepsy on everyday life.
Pippa Hall who is part of the Neurology Team, based at The Ryegate Children’s Centre, Sheffield, organised a get together for epilepsy patients aged between 13 and 19 years old, which was funded by an education grant from drugs company, UCB.
Pippa, an Epilepsy Outreach Nurse at Ryegate, part of Sheffield Children’s NHS Foundation Trust, also arranged for several speakers to attend the day, who encouraged the young people to interact and have fun, while learning facts about the social side of epilepsy, including driving, careers and relationships.
Previous patient, Catherine Belchamber talked to the teens about her experiences of beating the condition and being discharged from The Ryegate Children’s Centre, Sheffield.
Representatives from the UK charity, Support Dogs, also attended, to talk about their work with seizure alert dogs. And Juliet Stephens, a London based comedienne who has epilepsy, spoke to the teenagers about how she copes with the condition and doesn’t let it impact on her life.
Pippa said: “I wanted to hold an informal day for teenagers to meet each other and realise that they are not the only person in the world with epilepsy.
“The get together day was a great success and we had a very good turnout. They really enjoyed hearing the stories of others who have the condition and swapping their own feelings and experiences of Epilepsy, it made them feel more positive.”
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