Doctors often compare the aftermath of a seizure to the exhaustion of running a marathon, and in many cases, it’s even worse. Early 2025, I ran the Manchester Marathon. I chose to push my body to its limits, and yes, it hurt, a lot, but at the end of it I got a medal, and a sense of achievement. My brother never gets that choice. His body puts him through that pain without warning, and without reward.

I am incredibly lucky to a once in a lifetime opportunity to run the Tokyo Marathon 2026. I am aware that I have only recently fundraised for another charity close to our hearts which is why instead, I want to raise awareness around epilepsy for my brother and the millions of others with this condition.

Epilepsy is so much more than just seizures. There are so many variations and side affects which people don’t realise. Unfortunately, Tom has been experiencing seizures more frequently and around people who are not aware of this.

This charity, Epilepsy Society, not only funds research but offers support to those with Epilepsy, and their families. They have helped us as a family understand Tom’s condition at every stage through his life. Any amount of donation would be greatly appreciated. However, I know money is tight at the moment which is why I am encouraging you to spread awareness of epilepsy and more importantly, what to do. Please refer to the gallery where I have uploaded some guidance.

I am also hoping to beat the stigma around epilepsy. I have been made aware of some comments that have been said by his peers, one being that they are scared to be around him in case it happens again. This breaks my heart. Trust me, I get it, witnessing one is frightening but living with the constant uncertainty of when and where the next one will happen is so much more frightening. He isn’t any different to you and is definitely nothing to be scared of.

Still, he doesn’t let it bother him too much. He gets frustrated of course and has missed out on many opportunities due to his condition. But he has a great support network of family and friends to support him through anything which isn’t the case for many others. That is where Epilepsy Society offers amazing support for anyone who may not have the same network.

I want to share, alongside my marathon journey, awareness of what epilepsy is, what it’s like to live with it and most importantly, what you can do to help.

Thank you for getting this far. I’m truly so grateful for this opportunity to run a world major marathon while advocating for a cause close to our hearts.

Don’t tell Tom I’ve been this nice, he’ll hang it over my head forever…