Our final Epilepsy Star award of the year goes to 12-year-old Hope Lowery, from Cardiff, for her incredible bravery and resilience in living with epilepsy. Hope has lived with epilepsy for four years and was nominated by her Mum, Kelsey, who says Hope has never let epilepsy get in the way of her life.
After a complex childhood, Hope was diagnosed with epilepsy in 2021. Since then, Hope has also had numerous other diagnoses, such as ADHD, a language disorder and non-epileptic seizures, which her mum says she has taken in her stride.
“Hope suffered from febrile convulsions since she was six months old. Doctors told us they would only last until she was around six, but as a parent I knew something wasn’t right. I was adamant that she had epilepsy, as I had seizures in my childhood before growing out of them, and it runs in the family too.
“In the autumn of 2021, I demanded that Hope had the relevant tests done, as she was still having seizures. The doctors agreed and Hope had an EEG – this revealed that she had left temporal lobe epilepsy, and she was started on medication in the December. Hope struggled to find a medication that worked for her, and I had to demand that she was switched to others, due to bad reactions to the initial medications she was put on.
“I felt like we were finally getting somewhere, but two years later, Hope started having non-epileptic seizures. We found out that these can be triggered by her environment. At the time, her primary school was a major trigger due to excitement, stress – anything really. Eventually, I made the decision to take her out of her last year of primary school and home schooled her until high school.
“In this year, Hope was also diagnosed with a language disorder, and her epilepsy is now determined to be drug resistant generalised epilepsy. Because of these additional diagnoses, I felt Hope needed to be in a special needs high school. I fought for her to get a place in one, and in January 2025 we were able to achieve this.
“Hope is now absolutely thriving. Her teachers are able to support her with her epilepsy, seizures and additional learning needs. She has joined the football team, been on school trips – most importantly I can see her spark has come back.
“Hope absolutely loves dancing and she has danced since she was four years old. She is a part of her local dance team. When she’s dancing, I see her eyes light up, and they really do.
“Despite everything she’s been through, Hope has never let it faze her. She inspires me to just get up and get on with things. Even after a seizure, she’ll just get herself up and get on with whatever she was doing.
“Hope is also very lucky to have an amazing healthcare team behind her, as well as the support of her amazing younger brother, Kayden.
“I am so proud to call Hope my daughter – as a single mum of two children it’s difficult to have a child with such complex needs but as a family we will overcome anything life throws our way. We will not ever let epilepsy define who we are – epilepsy is a part of Hope and always will be, so we can either hold a grudge against it or just accept it.
“Hope would like to thank Epilepsy Action for even considering her for this award, and she wishes there was more awareness for epilepsy and non-epileptic seizures. She wants people to know that not all seizures are epileptic, and that it’s okay to be different. She wishes epilepsy was spoken about more in school, as not many children know about hidden disabilities.
“To Hope, you make me proud every day and I will always be there right by your side. No matter what life throws at us, your brother and I will always protect you. Keep shining.”
Rebekah Smith, chief executive at Epilepsy Action, said: “We’re so pleased to give our final Star Award of 2025 to Hope, an amazing young girl who’s shown such resilience and bravery after being dealt such a tough hand. Hope’s courage is an inspiration to others, and we hope people will feel uplifted and inspired by her story, as we enter this new year.
“It’s lovely to see the support Hope has from her family, which has clearly helped shape the brave and determined person she is today. For people with epilepsy, having that kind of support can mean so much, and Hope is a wonderful example of the difference it can make.
“Everyone with epilepsy deserves the chance to live in a World Without Limits, and it’s a real privilege to recognise people like Hope who are helping to show what’s possible.”
