National Epilepsy Week took place between 18th -24th May and saw Epilepsy Ireland team up with UK Epilepsy organisations to explore the theme of #MoreThanSeizures.
The theme was decided on by all organisations and aimed to explore the many "hidden" aspects of epilepsy as a condition. Throughout the week, we heard first hand testimony on how epilepsy is so much #MoreThanSeizures.
We would like to thank everyone who liked, shared & engaged with the testimonies that were shared across our social media channels which shone a light on how complex a condition epilepsy is.
We would also particularly like to thank those who shared their testimonies throughout the week - your stories have resonated with so many others with epilepsy and highlighted to them that they are not alone in their journey with epilepsy.
Should you have missed any of the content throughout the week, we have shared the links to each testimony below. All of these are on our Facebook but if you don't have an account, you will still be able to view them the testimonies.
Remember, epilepsy is so much #MoreThanSeizures and together, we can achieve a society where no person's life is limited by epilepsy.
- Monday May 18th - Brenda Quigg, Mayo; In her testimony, Brenda writes how epilepsy has impacted on her day to day life and how her life changed after her initial diagnosis. You can read her testimony on Epilepsy Ireland's Facebook page.
- Tuesday May 19th - Nicola O'Sullivan, Kerry; Nicola recorded a short video piece for Epilepsy Week in which she discusses challenges she has faced with anxiety & mental health. You can watch her testimony on Epilepsy Ireland's Facebook page.
- Wednesday May 20th - Ruth Cox, Sligo; In her piece, Ruth discusses the many side effects that she has experienced from different medications that she has taken over the years in an effort to find the right combination of medication for her epilepsy. You can read her story on Epilepsy Ireland's Facebook page.
- Thursday May 21st - Theresa Byrne, Wicklow; Theresa gives personal testimony on how her family have been impacted by Sodium Valproate and the ongoing work of OACS Ireland. You can read her story on Epilepsy Ireland's Facebook page.
- Friday May 22nd - Wayne O'Reilly, Wexford; On the Friday of Epilepsy Week, Wayne gave testimony about how his epilepsy has impacted on his employment at different points in his life. You can read his story on Epilepsy Ireland's Facebook page.
- Saturday May 23rd - Lucy Prevo, Dublin; Lucy, in her testimony, gave people with epilepsy and the wider public an insight into what it is actually like to spend time in an Epilepsy Monitoring Unit. You can read her story on Epilepsy Ireland's Facebook page.
- Sunday May 24th - Killian McNamara, Clare & Ralph Carpenter, Dublin; On the closing day of National Epilepsy Week, we heard testimony from Killian on his personal decision to stay off the road despite being seizure free. You can watch his testimony on Epilepsy Ireland's Facebook page. Meanwhile, Ralph in the closing testimony of the week, echoed his experience of what many of our volunteers had discussed throughout the week. You can watch his video on Epilepsy Ireland's Facebook page.