Frankie and Aisha’s stories

To round off an amazing year of winners, we awarded our final Epilepsy Star award for 2024 to two incredible children, Frankie and Aisha, who used their quick thinking to help their mums when they were having a seizure. The young children, aged four and seven, acted quickly and bravely, and both of their mums say they are so proud. Frankie’s mum Mair and Aisha’s mum Lucy, tell their children’s stories below.

Frankie’s story

Frankie, aged four, loves the normal things any child his age would, like board games, cards and his toy kitchen set. But young Frankie had to step up twice this year, looking after his mum during seizures, when he was on his own. In June, Frankie’s mum, Mair, had a seizure whilst she was with him in the park. Just last month, Frankie came to his mum’s aid when she had a seizure whilst they were home alone. Mair says Frankie is her real life superhero and deserved to win an Epilepsy Star Award.

“In June I was in the park by myself with Frankie when I had a seizure. Frankie was amazing and got another mum’s attention and asked her to ring an ambulance. He then used my phone to call his dad via my emergency settings.

“Just last month, I had another seizure whilst I was at home alone with Frankie. I have no memory of what happened, but I’ve been told that I just ‘dropped’ with no warning. Frankie called an ambulance and his granny Sian, again using the emergency settings on my phone.

“He then unlocked the door when the paramedics arrived and told them ‘my mummy has epilepsy’. He showed them where I was and even pointed out my medication cupboard. He is only four but was able to stay calm and remember all of this!

“Frankie has seen one of my seizures before, but he was very little. I had shown him how to access the emergency call setting on my phone before, but he mostly acted on his own accord. He must have been watching me to understand where the medicine cupboard was, as I’d never shown him it myself.

“I don’t think I’ll ever be able to put into words how proud I feel as a parent. It is a bit heartbreaking to think he was put into that situation at such a young age. I was worried he’d be scared of being alone with me afterwards, but if anything he seems even more loving.

“Frankie you are my real life superhero! I am so proud of you and you should be extremely proud of yourself for looking after Mummy. I love you to the moon and back”.

Aisha’s story

Seven-year-old Aisha loves trampolining, crafts, gymnastics, books and playing with her friends. Her mum, Lucy, has epilepsy and Aisha has witnessed Lucy having many seizures including outside her school, and at friends’ birthday parties. Aisha had been taught by her parents how to look after her mum, if she was to have a seizure when they were alone together. The young girl knew to ask ‘Alexa’ to call her dad if Lucy had a seizure. Unfortunately, this scenario became a reality for the mum and daughter, and Aisha had to step up. Aisha followed her parents’ instructions and asked ‘Alexa’ to ‘call dad’… but her dad’s phone rang in the next room. Aisha’s mum Lucy, says Aisha kept her cool at a time of crisis and tells the full story:

“I was in the kitchen cooking tea, when all of a sudden I began having a seizure. Aisha’s first response was to put a cushion underneath my head on the hard stone floor. She then turned off the gas hobs and oven before trying to contact her dad. Aisha learnt to cushion my head from Epilepsy Action’s advice on what to do if someone has a seizure, and has also watched her dad and others respond on many occasions.

“Aisha had been taught to ask Alexa to ‘call dad’ and did exactly that, after she’d made sure I was safe in the kitchen. She asked Alexa the instruction, but after doing so heard a phone ring in the house… She found her Dad’s phone on the hall table, who had gone to play football for an hour.

“Luckily, Aisha’s clever thinking meant she started looking through his phone and managed to find a contact named ‘dad’ on the phone, which is Aisha’s Grandad. She called him and her Grandad picked up and was able to come to the aid of both myself and Aisha. She is a real hero and it was her quick thinking that helped me get the help I needed.

“Her calm, caring reaction and swift problem solving fills me with emotion and pride for my little seven- year- old girl. It’s been a be a truly challenging few years for us all but Aisha’s bubbling positivity has got us through.  She’s a superstar!

“We’re all extremely proud of our amazing daughter and we’re also very relieved we had Alexa and taught her how to use it, as well as access to our mobile phones.”

Epilepsy Action interim chief executive Rebekah Smith said: “We decided to award our final awards for 2024 to two incredible children. Both Frankie and Aisha acted swiftly and bravely when their mums needed them.

“Frankie showed an incredible attention to detail for his young age by noticing where his mum’s medicine cupboard was, whilst Aisha showed her amazing seizure first aid skills when she immediately cushioned her mum’s head from the hard floor. The whole team at Epilepsy Action is inspired by Frankie and Aisha’s actions, and we hope that they will inspire others too, to learn what to do when someone is having a seizure.”