National Epilepsy Week 2023

Published: May 22 2023
Last updated: June 26 2023

Grace Wood

The focus of this year’s National Epilepsy Week, which runs from May 22 to May 28, is #EpilepsyMatters

Charities taking part in National Epilepsy Week include Epilepsy Action, Young Epilepsy and Epilepsy Research UKEpilepsy Action has joined charities and organisations across the UK to show why #EpilepsyMatters for National Epilepsy Week 2023.

The focus of this year’s event, which runs from May 22 to May 28, is #EpilepsyMatters, with participating groups highlighting the challenges affecting people with epilepsy.

Throughout the week, Epilepsy Action will be encouraging people to watch and share its seizure first aid video, which explains how to help someone having a tonic-clonic seizure.

On Wednesday (May 24) deputy chief executive Rebekah Smith appeared on BBC Breakfast, alongside epilepsy champions Imogen Cauthery, Simon Breeds and Morgan Forrington to discuss the CARE campaign.

Imogen described her experience of living with the condition and said she hoped the campaign would encourage people to “see me as Imogen and not as epilepsy”.

Other activities include the 50k My Way challenge – in which participants complete 50km (by walking, running, swimming or even skating) throughout the week – and a baking challenge, raising funds through bake sales.

You can follow the events of National Epilepsy Week on Epilepsy Action’s social media (@epilepsyaction on Twitter and Instagram), or by following the hashtag #EpilepsyMatters.

Earlier this year, the charity marked Purple Day – the biggest international fundraising and awareness day in the epilepsy calendar – by wearing purple and completing fundraising challenges.