Doug - #ALifeInterrupted

Around 1 in every 100 people in the UK have a diagnosis of epilepsy. Epilepsy is the most common serious brain disorder worldwide and affects people indiscriminately of age, gender, race or social class. Epilepsy can sometimes be caused by a brain injury or infection, but for over two-thirds of people, there is no known cause. Some can live seizure-free through antiepileptic drugs but the majority experience debilitating side effects. Around a third of people live with uncontrolled epilepsy and may require around the clock support or residential care. Seizures can impact virtually every life choice – education, careers and even ‘risk’ of starting a family. There is a lack of consistent understanding about epilepsy and the impact it has on the people affected which can lead to stigma, misinformation and discrimination. Shockingly, there are 21 epilepsy-related deaths every week. Epilepsy Research UK is the only UK charity exclusively dedicated to driving and enabling life changing, life saving research into epilepsy. Our vision is ‘a life free from epilepsy’. Our ‘ALifeInterrupted’ campaign videos highlight the disruptive, interruptive nature of this hidden condition and ask people with epilepsy to shape the future research. We are submitting Doug's film for this award.