26.2 miles...
Without fancy shoes or a smart watch.
Or the certainty of being able to stop or slow down.
With no preparation and nobody cheering. Or photos and memories to mark the occasion.
With the certainty it will happen again.
Maybe even tomorrow.
Maybe later today.
This is the reality of epilepsy.
People with epilepsy need your help.
The good news is that there are lots of ways that you can.
From giving a one off donation to signing up to run to raise money and awareness we’ve got you covered.
Barry
This year Barry is running 54 marathons in memory of his sister Abbie who passed away from a seizure in 2024.
He has raised an incredible £23,000 and made epilepsy much more visible in the process. 1 in 100 of us have epilepsy.
Despite it being common only one third of people know how to give seizure first aid.
He is one of a number of runners documenting their experiences on our running Youtube Channel.
This campaign is not all about running.
It’s about the physical toll seizures have on real people.
The missing memories, anxiety created by regaining consciousness in unfamiliar surroundings.
The slow recovery.
YASMIN
Yasmin experienced her first seizure aged 10 and since then has navigated over 20 years of disruption.
In that time she has established a career and become a mum.
In 2025 she featured in our Could I Count On You campaign which reached 17.4 million people.
She is also a volunteer for Epilepsy Action helping us to create a world without limits for people with epilepsy.
DID YOU KNOW?
- A new person is diagnosed with epilepsy in the UK every 18 minutes
- Every day 3 people die from epilepsy related causes. That’s over 1,000 every year
- Just 29% of working age people with epilepsy are in work
- People with epilepsy are twice as likely to die by suicide than the rest of the UK
- The waiting times for a neurology appointment in some parts of the UK is over five years
- Despite all these issues the UK’s healthcare provision for epilepsy is the second worst in Europe.
- We have 25% of the number of neurologists as France and Germany despite being the sixth biggest economy in the world.
BECOME AN EPILEPSY ALLY
We are always on the lookout for Epilepsy Allies.
These are people who want to learn about seizure first aid and how they can support people with epilepsy at work or in their communities.
Save a life in 90 seconds
Our CARE video explains how you can protect people with epilepsy using seizure first aid.
During our lifetime we will all know someone with epilepsy.
Can they count on you when it really matters?
C – Comfort
Cushion their head with something soft, to protect them from injury and keep them comfortable
A – Action
Start to time the seizure, and clear the area of anything that might be harmful. You could also check if the person has a medical ID or bracelet with more information on how to help
R – Reassure
When the seizure has stopped, place them in the recovery position, stay with them and reassure them as they come round
E – Emergency
Call 999 if:
- the seizure continues for more than 5 minutes
- the person is not regaining consciousness
- the person goes straight into another seizure
- the person has trouble breathing after the seizure
- the person has never had a seizure before
Buy an Epilepsy Action T-shirt, water bottle or badge.
Show your dedication to our cause by buying branded items from our shop.
