12 December 2010 - My nephew Lee Johnson died suddenly and tragically aged 24, following an epilepsy seizure on 12 Dec 2010. His parents Simon and Vicky, his sister Becky and all our extended family are committed to raising money to support research and awareness of epilepsy, which we now know can be fatal and can happen without warning.

In memory of  Lee -   in honour of a wonderful and gifted sportsman who was much loved by all who knew him and in recognition of all the individuals and families who are affected by epilepsy, I will be attempting the Yorkshire Three Peaks Challenge on 16 July in the Yorkshire Dales National Park. I will be following a circular route of around 40km on uneven terrain, in 12 hours. Alongside other family members and friends I am hoping to raise at least €400 for Epilepsy Action.

Help me on my way...make a difference! Please play your own part in this challenge by making a donation to the fight for greater public information, awareness and empowerment of people with epilepsy. When the going gets tough as I ascend the wild peaks of Pen-y-ghent, Whernside and Ingleborough, it will be the thought of Lee that spurs me on and it will be your financial contribution that will make the difference to the lives of others.

 Epilepsy a low priority for health service providers - A report launched in 2009 by Epilepsy Action revealed that epilepsy is a worryingly low priority for England's health service providers. This is despite several previous reports highlighting the need to improve the poor state of services.

Recent surveys have revealed a deeply concerning variation in the provision of epilepsy services. They have also revealed serious variations in the collection of information and the quality of care for the 382,000 people with epilepsy in England. In countless areas of England, epilepsy services are unacceptable.

Epilepsy Action’s President, Baroness Ford of Cunninghame,  said: "What the report reveals about the state of epilepsy services in this country is astonishing. It shows that health trusts are unlikely to be able to provide decent epilepsy services, when they don't have many of the resources underlined as critical in the 2008 NICE commissioning guide.

"It's time for health commissioners to start implementing NICE guidelines; it's time for the government to wake up and take the lead on this issue; it's time for people with epilepsy to stop getting such a raw deal." 

Information-awareness-empowerment: is the theme of National Epilepsy Week, which will take place from 15-21 May 2011. Watch out for events and fundraisers throughout the country, including the Manchester 10k run, featuring many of Lee's work colleagues and at least 5 of the Johnson family! More later......

 Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to the charity and make sure Gift Aid is reclaimed on every eligible donation by a UK taxpayer. So it’s the most efficient way to donate - I raise more, whilst saving time and cutting costs for the charity.

Please support me with a donation of as much as you can afford. Every little will help!  Thank you.