5 – Seize your adventure – with an epilepsy diagnosis

Published: July 14 2020
Last updated: September 28 2022

After being diagnosed with epilepsy in 2015, Fran walked 500 miles of the Camino de Santiago in Spain two years later, solo. In 2019, she completed the 100KM Race to the Stones ultramarathon. We talk to Fran about adventuring with an epilepsy diagnosis, judging risk and how she doesn’t like the word ‘inspiration’. We also chat with Daniel Jennings, Epilepsy Action’s Senior Policy and Campaigns Officer about sodium valproate and the Cumberlege Review.

Show notes:

After being diagnosed with epilepsy in 2015, Fran walked 500 miles of the Camino de Santiago in Spain two years later, solo. In 2019, she completed the 100KM Race to the Stones ultramarathon. We talk to Fran about adventuring with an epilepsy diagnosis, judging risk and how she doesn’t like the word ‘inspiration’. We also talk about Fran’s aim to normalise adventuring with epilepsy through her ‘Seize Your Adventure’ blog and podcast series.

This week’s epilepsy news:

  • Leading epilepsy charities and health professionals have joined forces to urge decision makers and clinicians to prioritise epilepsy as lockdown eases and services resume. We talk about this and how Epilepsy Action are helping.
  • The UK government has been urged to issue a “fulsome apology” to the families affected by sodium valproate, Primodos and pelvic mesh as a result of a two year review known as the ‘Cumberlege Report.’ We discuss the findings of the report and next steps.
  • Last chance to nominate someone in your life that has made a difference to people with epilepsy during the last 12 months for an Epilepsy Action 2020 award

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