When we received a heartbreaking letter from ten-year-old Ellie, detailing the death of her friend Patrick from an epileptic seizure, we knew we had to share it with you.

Each year in the UK 1,000 people die due to epilepsy; that’s two or three every day. As Ellie would tell you, even one is one too many. We all know it, so let’s stand with her this Christmas – and change it now.

This year we want to help bring Ellie's Christmas wish of a cure true. We’re global leaders in research, already active in exciting new areas such as genome sequencing, which could one day provide better treatments for people still struggling with uncontrolled seizures.

What this means is if a cure is going to come, it’s very likely to come from us - but we can’t deliver it on our own. All of this vitally important work – all this hope for the future - is powered by supporters like you. 

Please help us respond to Ellie’s request by making a donation today, so we can build on the research breakthroughs we’ve already made together. 

It is only thanks to our supporters’ generosity that we were able to pioneer the use of MRI scans in the diagnosis of epilepsy, to identify the key role played by specific genes and to co-develop are volutionary new surgical technique to remove the parts of the brain responsible for epilepsy, giving many people their first ever chance of freedom from epileptic seizures.

Thank you so much for helping to bring Ellie’s wish for a cure closer to reality.