(Pictured from right to left) Vicki Kennedy, Young Epilepsy’s Director of Fundraising and External Relations, blogger and epilepsy campaigner Olivia Salvati and Rachel Shah, a trustee at SUDEP Action charity - whose daughter tragically passed away as a result of epilepsy - were invited to the Sky One studio, with presenter Jacqueline Shepherd, to discuss the importance of raising awareness.
Vicki Kennedy says:
I’d like to thank Sky One’s What’s Up TV for inviting me to help raise awareness of SUDEP. Epilepsy is a hugely misunderstood condition and SUDEP is often swept under the carpet as a consequence of social awkwardness. Many of the risk factors are within young people's control. Young Epilepsy has great resources and information available to keep young people should they fear for themselves or simply want to know more.
Olivia Salvati, who has played a big role in Young Epilepsy’s previous ‘Everyone Knows Someone’ campaigns, says:
The interview was an amazing experience for me, and I am so happy to be involved in the awareness of epilepsy and SUDEP. Since the interview, I had my first tonic clonic seizure after a-year-and-a-half, and to make people more aware of epilepsy and SUDEP becomes more important to me each day.
The fight to show people that, although there are struggles along the way, anyone with epilepsy is perfectly capable of fulfilling their dreams and ambitions in life, and to make sure we have all the support we need along the way.
I really hope this interview inspires people to not only treat any epileptic person as they would treat themselves, but not to be afraid of the idea of SUDEP, and to support any person who has lost a loved one because of SUDEP.
According to figures, SUDEP affects one in 500 people in Britain every year.
You can watch the episode in question on Saturday 10 March 2018, Sky One at 12.30pm.
