This year's Epilepsy Action Award has been presented to 13-year-old Simon Cooper, from Shrewsbury. This is in recognition of the outstanding help and support he has given to his sister, Katherine, who has epilepsy. Simon, who has autism, has overcome his own communication difficulties on several occasions to help Katherine when she has a seizure.
Policy makers must increase investment in services to improve the lives of people with epilepsy, according to The Lancet Neurology this month.
An article, published in the July issue of the journal, highlights how health services are failing many people with epilepsy, an often overlooked and misunderstood condition. This is despite epilepsy being the most common neurological condition in the UK, with 456,000, or one in 131, people affected. The article also highlights how greater investment and awareness of the personal and economic burden of epilepsy is needed.
Epilepsy Action's prestigious National Conference and Annual General Meeting is returning to the north for 2009. Some of the major names in the field of epilepsy will be offering their knowledge and expertise to explore this year's theme of 'Prioritising epilepsy – who decides?'
Professor Pamela Crawford, consultant neurologist at York District Hospital, will open the conference, which will take place in Gateshead on Saturday 13 June. Professor Crawford's presentation, "Who has Epilepsy?", will explore how everyone's experience of epilepsy is different, depending on the person.