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On June 25th this year 5 friends and I will set out from St Bees on the West coast of Cumbria to cycle the 150 miles to Whitby on the East Coast.  Most normal people take 2-3 days to do this but (as many of you will know!) we are not normal - we'll be doing it in 1 day!   We're also doing it the hard way - our route will involve 14,500 feet of climbing and takes us up over the steepest passes in the Lake District and across the Yorkshire Moors. This will be the longest and hardest 1-day ride I have ever done.

So why am I doing this?  Well, my life, along with those of a number of good friends is affected by epilepsy.  My wife Carol suffers from epilepsy; she has done since the age of 2.  Unfortunately we have never been able to find a medical regime which is able to fully control her seizures.   Over 300,000 people suffer from epilepsy in the UK, and there are over 1,100 deaths each year from epilepsy related causes.  40% of these deaths are preventable.  

After a seizure sufferers often wake up confused & disorientated, usually with a splitting headache and often with the taste of blood in their mouth, from where they have bitten their tongue during the seizure.  Very often there's no warning the seizure is about to start, meaning they can fall and hurt themselves if a family member or friend isn't there to catch them. When they come round they  may not be able to remember where they live for a time, or the names of people who they know who might help.  

It is often difficult for people who have epilepsy to hold down regular employment, which can lead to isolation and loneliness, and those who have regular seizures are also (for obvious reasons) not allowed to drive, making getting about that bit more challenging, especially in rural locations.

Worse, some people even mock and laugh, mistaking the wobbly walk of a sufferer coming round from a seizure for drunkenness.  

Yet understanding of the condition is still limited and research funding is hard to come by.  Please help me make a difference.  I can't adequately put into words how important this is to me, my family, and to other friends  (you know who you are) affected by epilepsy

Thank you

Martyn

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