epilepsy
Epilepsy is a neurological condition that affects around one person in every 131 in the UK, and is the world’s most common serious neurological condition. Around 70% of people can live a seizure-free life with the right medication.
Epilepsy takes many forms and there are more than 40 different types. Epilepsy starts in the brain and an epileptic seizure can occur if the signals sent and received by the brain's nerve endings (neurons) are interrupted.
diagnosis of epilepsy
Many people will experience an epileptic seizure at some point in their lives and this does not necessarily mean they have epilepsy. To be diagnosed as having epilepsy, a person will have experienced more than one witnessed seizure.
There can be many different reasons for developing epilepsy, but the cause is not always known. People who develop epilepsy for no apparent reason have ‘idiopathic’ epilepsy. Often, this responds well to drug treatment. Where a person’s epilepsy has a clear cause, their epilepsy is referred to as ‘symptomatic’. Causes could include trauma from an accident, an infection of the brain (e.g. encephalitis, meningitis), a stroke or an abnormal development of the brain in the womb.
“Our mission for all our residents, no matter how severe their condition, is to bring 'normal life experiences' to them on a daily basis. We like to believe that nobody wakes up to a new day at the Meath with anything less than anticipation.”
Gordon Hennessy, chief executive, Meath Epilepsy Trust
the Meath Trust epilepsy charity
Situated within beautiful grounds just 5 minutes from Godalming town centre in Surrey, the Meath Trust is a non profit ‘Centre of Excellence’ providing professional and proactive support in an environment as close to home as we can make it. The charity provides support and a caring home to more than 60 adults who have complex epilepsy coupled with other disabling problems.
The care and treatment of epilepsy has improved significantly since the Meath opened its doors in 1892. Many of the Meath’s original residents would not need to be in our care today. However, the underlying brain damage or dysfunction that sometimes causes epilepsy can also be responsible for a range of other disabling problems. The Meath has seen significant changes in the severity and number of conditions faced by those entering our care.
The majority of Meath residents have varying degrees of learning disability and many also have a physical disability. A small number of residents also have conditions such as Asperger’s syndrome, autism and cerebral palsy. This combination of conditions means an independent life out of reach for many. Having a learning disability can make communicating the onset of an epileptic seizure very difficult, and any underlying brain damage can mean seizures are more difficult to control. Many Meath residents experience particularly complex epilepsy that may not be fully controlled by medication, and some residents have more than one type of epilepsy.
history of the epilepsy charity
The Meath Epilepsy Trust was founded in 1892 by Mary, Countess of Meath, a forward-thinking philanthropist and a woman of great compassion. Today, the Trust operates one of the most advanced centres in the UK caring for adults who have severe epilepsy coupled with a learning and/or a physical disability.
