As you may know, our little boy Beauden has Epilepsy. He had his first ever seizure when he had just turned one and it turned our lives upside down.

He suffers from three different types of seizures: tonic clonic, right focal onset and absent. The seizures he experiences happen both during the day and at night while he’s sleeping and there is no known trigger as to what could cause them to happen. Any seizure which lasts longer than 5 minutes is considered a medical emergency which can cause brain damage or death, and our little Beauden has experienced seizures lasting longer than this. He also stops breathing during his seizures which makes it even more dangerous. Along with epilepsy also comes the devastating risk of SUDEP (Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy) and at least 600 people fall victim of SUDEP every year.

An epilepsy diagnosis isn't easy.... And after the diagnosis it gets harder. You feel like that's all you’re left with.. a diagnosis and worry that consumes you. Not knowing if your little boy you tucked into bed and cuddled to sleep will still be alive the next morning.

There is no help with monitors, equipment, specialist epilepsy pillows etc. LIFE SAVING EQUIPMENT! This is where the amazing Jon Shaw Foundation and HOPE for Paediatric for Epilepsy London stepped in. They are two AMAZING charities which have gave us so much support!

The Jon Shaw Foundation was set up in memory of Jon Shaw, a young man who sadly lost his life to SUDEP at the age of 19. Since then, his family have worked tirelessly to promote awareness of SUDEP and to help families of children who have epilepsy/have lost their children to Epilespy. They were able to support us by providing Beauden with a SAMi-3 epilepsy monitor which can alert us to his nocturnal seizures.

HOPE for Paediatric Epilepsy London were able to supply us with anti-suffocation pillows and also provided us with an Alert It Pulse Companion which monitors Beauden’s heart rate and can detect seizure activity.

Although the worry will never leave us, these monitors and anti-suffocation pillows enable us to give Beauden the independence he needs by allowing him to play and sleep in his own bedroom and be SAFE! Something that would not be possible without these two amazing charities.

We really want these charities to be able to continue supporting other families who are battling life with epilepsy, and so on Sunday 21st July our lovely little Beauden will be taking on a 5 mile Cycling Challenge. The funds raised will be donated to the Jon Shaw Foundation, and HOPE for Paediatric Epilepsy London.

These charities mean a lot to us as a family. The work they do is amazing, they quite literally SAVE LIVES! But they can’t do that without support/fundraising.

If anyone could donate towards Beauden’s fundraiser we would be eternally grateful! No matter how big or small the donation is it will make a big difference to so many families like it has done for us!

Thank you so much!