As our beautiful daughter Rioghnach should have been enjoying her last few days of the summer holidays before starting P2, she was instead spending a few days in the Royal Children's Hospital in Belfast after taking a seizure at home and another one the following morning in the hospital.

On the Friday she was brought for a CT scan and then started on anti-epileptic medication. Aidan and my hearts sunk, we couldn't believe it, our baby girl one week had climbed to the summit of Slieve Donard for Charity and the following week, with no warning was lying in hospital after being diagnosed with epilepsy. It came out of the blue and was a massive shock to us, we are all new to this but we know we will all get there together because that is what we do. We know lots of people live with epilepsy and live a great life. We are just at the stage of understanding the diagnosis and learning about it. She is a strong girl, she is determined and strong headed. I know it will be Rioghnach, her cheeky smile and her sarcastic quips, that will keep us all positive.

We are wanting to make things as normal as possible for Rioghnach and her independence (and our peace of mind) is a major step towards doing that.

We are hoping to raise money through a raffle to buy a wearable wrist device that lets us as parents know if she is having a seizure while sleeping or out in the garden playing with her friends or even simply in the room next door to the one we are in. The wristband will allow us to be aware of what is happening and to have the reassurance that if she has a seizure we will know without us having to take away her independence.

In order to raise the money we are raffling off a hand painted display guitar of Ed Sheeran. It is £5 an entry and the winner will be announced on 30th September.

If we surpass what we need the rest of the money raised will be split between Epilepsy Action NI and Helping Hand - The Charity to the Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children.

Thank you,

Déarbhla & Aidan

Déarbhla and Aidan