It was towards the end of 2001 during a year abroad at the University of Ottawa as part of an exchange programme with Sheffield Hallam when Caroline Hurst had her first seizure.

Caroline recalls the exact situation as they were getting ready to go ice fishing on a frozen lake, “I don’t remember what happened but apparently I screamed out then fell forward and hit my head on the edge of the kitchen surface.”

The next thing she knew, she had woken up in hospital with a cut above her right eyebrow.

Having lived with epilepsy for 13 years, the chartered legal executive at Langley's Solicitors in York is a great example of someone who will not let the condition beat her; in fact, it has spurred her on.

“I think the diagnosis made me look at life differently, and made me more driven.

“When I found out that epilepsy would affect me for the rest of my life, my first thought was ‘would it prevent me from being a lawyer?’”

Caroline’s work often puts her in contact with clients who also have epilepsy and she loves being able to help them and, importantly, empathise with them.

Having the condition affects her life in more ways than people might imagine.

Aside from not being able to drive, as she has not been free of seizures for a year, and not being able to drink alcohol, there are leisure activities which she wishes she could take part in.

Sadly this is not possible for the 31-year-old who has lived in York for 11 years.

“When I was much younger I did a parachute jump for Marie Curie and I would love to do that again, but I can’t. Nor can I dive with the others when I am on holiday."

She added, “People do not always have a profound awareness of how it might affect our lives. Some peoples’ assumptions about epilepsy can be hurtful,” referring to the person who might be having a seizure in the street, when passers-by, ignorant to the possibility it could be epilepsy, assume they are drunk and disorderly.

“There is definitely still a stigma surrounding epilepsy,” she points out.

Caroline, who shares a house with close friends, has intractable epilepsy which means her seizures cannot be controlled by medication.

Currently, she has seizures around once a month.

She has tried 11 to 12 types of medication and still not found one which works for her.

The media volunteer for Epilepsy Action strongly believes in increasing awareness of the condition and, even more so, encouraging those who have epilepsy to aim for their aspirations and to not let it discourage them.

Although her work can be demanding and stressful, which may trigger a seizure, her colleagues know about her condition and her secretary is really good at being able to spot when she might have a seizure.

For this, she can take a tablet which could stop her having one.

Acting Campaigns Manager for Epilepsy Action Nicole Crosby-McKenna says, “Just knowing a little more about epilepsy might help your friend or colleague to feel more confident about their epilepsy.

“You can learn more about epilepsy and what to do if your friend or colleague has a seizure by visiting epilepsy.org.uk/info/firstaid.”

Caroline, who visits her epilepsy nurse every three months at the Hull Royal Infirmary, is no stranger to injury caused by a seizure.

In the past, falling down stairs, dislocating her shoulder and breaking collar bones have all occurred. The possibility of falling out of chairs also makes precautionary measures necessary at work.

In Caroline’s opinion, much more money needs to be invested into research as she believes the knock-on effect of either stopping someone’s seizures or at least reducing them is huge.

“It is great to see campaigns in the media such as billboards and the recent storyline involving epilepsy in EastEnders.”

For Caroline, living with epilepsy has been harder than she imagined but she has been determined and not let it take over her life, “A university tutor once said to me, which has stuck with me ever since, ‘if you think you can, you can and if you think you can’t, you’re right’.

“As long as you believe that what you want to do is possible, then you can achieve it because you have got to believe in yourself.”


Epilepsy Action

• Epilepsy is a neurological condition and causes recurrent seizures, known as fits.

• Epilepsy affects more than 500,000 people in the UK. This means almost 1 in 100 people has the condition.

• The cells in the brain, known as neurones, communicate with each other using electrical impulses. During a seizure, the electrical impulses are disrupted, which can cause the brain and body to behave strangely.

- The York Branch of Epilepsy Action meets at 7.30pm on the first Tuesday of each month at the Quaker Meeting House, Friargate. For more information, visit epilepsy.org.uk or call Nadia on 01904 760 895. Anyone who is planning to attend is advised to check ahead.