On the 5th August 2016 whilst on holiday our world was turned upside down. A year has passed and I still relive and think about that day every single day. As a family, we went through the worst experience any of us could ever imagine.

Our 3 year old little boy woke me up with a terrifying scream, I thought he was having a nightmare at first and I gently tried to wake him up from it. He then started making a choking noise, to which I then thought he was choking in his sleep. Screaming for David to come and help, I began patting Ben's back whilst he started to flop in my arms. Desperate to help him, I tried reaching into his mouth...so many things...but he began foaming at the mouth and his lips went blue. He was shaking and jerking...then he stopped and went limp in our arms. Time seemed to stop and for the next few seconds, 20 seconds, 30 seconds...we can't remember how long, it just seemed like forever, we held Ben tightly. Then he finally took a breath, followed by crying and spluttering; not really understanding what had happened. Thanks to our dear friends Ian and Jane Parker, we were rushed to the local hospital in Pontivy. Ben endured so many tests and scans from the French doctors. They were truly amazing and acted so quickly. Once Ben was on a ward he started having the "seizures" again. Terrifying to see, we begged the doctors to help out little boy and find out what was wrong. Ben became very ill very quickly; both due to the medication administered and from all of the seizures that he was now having. 12 hours after his first seizure, we were transferred to a neurological hospital 2 hours away to try and find out what was wrong. It was there that I spent 6 days with Ben whilst doctors investigated and carried out more tests. Throughout all of this, David and Miles were cared for by the wonderful Parkers. The staff at the CHU hospital were fantastic and supportive. Finally Ben was diagnosed with having epilepsy and began his treatment. We came home, worried and scared for the future, not really knowing a lot about epilepsy. Support from the RVI Newcastle and a lovely doctor, Ben is assessed regularly and we now all live with a better understanding of epilepsy and control Ben's epilepsy with his medication. Without the CHU Rennes and the research by the Epilepsy Society, Ben would not be where he is today.

I ran my first Great North Run last year and so many people asked to sponsor me; but for me it was a personal challenge. One ticked off the "Bucket List"! This year David and I will be doing it for a cause and a donation to something that means a lot to our family. A day that we will never forget, or probably ever overcome 💙