The founder of Purple Day, the global epilepsy awareness day, Cassidy Megan, and former chair of Epilepsy Action’s board of trustees and stalwart supporter of people with epilepsy, Richard Chapman, have been awarded Epilepsy Action’s Lord Hastings Award for 2025.
The Lord Hastings Award is Epilepsy Action’s most prestigious award, recognising outstanding contribution to improving the lives of people with epilepsy.
This is the first time that a national and international winner has been picked.
A special accolade
Cassidy created Purple Day in 2008, wanting to raise awareness of an often invisible condition and help people with epilepsy feel less alone. Since then, she has been an advocate, raising awareness globally, hosting and attending events, campaigning and speaking out about epilepsy.
On hearing the news of her award, Cassidy said: “I’ve been so honoured to receive the prestigious Lord Hastings Award. It’s such an honour to receive this award because it recognises all the work I’ve done with Purple Day and helping to try to bring epilepsy into the light more and out of the shadows.
“A huge congratulations and happy anniversary to Epilepsy Action for your 75th anniversary. It’s amazing all the work that you’ve done over the years – connections [you’ve made], milestones that you’ve reached and progress that you’ve made for the epilepsy community in your area and further.
“I’m so happy to be here with you celebrating and receiving the Lord Hastings Award on your 75th anniversary.”
Richard was a trustee at Epilepsy Action for nearly 38 years, joining at the age of 32 and retiring early this year. He is also a former chair of the board of trustees, taking on the role over three terms, and his commitment and passion for the charity’s work has been unwavering.
Richard has also been a member of a Talk & Support group in Leicester since he moved to the area in 2012, and prior to that ran similar groups in the Bristol area.
Richard said: “I was really surprised to get a letter about the Lord Hastings Award. It came right out of the blue. I never thought for a minute that I would be a contender for the award, let alone a recipient.
“When you look back at the list of previous winners, there are some really high-profile names. You don’t volunteer in the expectation of recognition or reward for what you do. But it is really nice when something like this happens, and it feels gratifying that others felt my efforts were worthy of such a special accolade.”
The award was named after Lord Hastings, a former president of Epilepsy Action – a position he held for 28 years. In that time, he raised issues around epilepsy at the House of Lords, he fronted and led appeals and campaigns, and he served on research committees.
Lord Hastings was the first recipient of the award named after him, given to him in 1990.
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