A member of Bedford Harriers will be taking part in this Sunday’s Great North Run to raise money for Epilepsy Action after her son was diagnosed with a complex form of the condition.
Sonia Gallaher will be taking part in the iconic half marathon to fundraise for the charity that provides vital advice and support to the 600,000 people living with epilepsy in the UK.
Sonia’s 12-year-old son, Max has epilepsy and was recently diagnosed with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome.
Sonia will join thousands of runners in the prestigious race on Sunday 12 September. The Simplyhealth Great North Run has a new route this year which begins and ends in Newcastle. Sonia is among 88 runners supporting Epilepsy Action this year.
You can sponsor Sonia here.
“Max was diagnosed with epilepsy when he was seven,” said Sonia. “He has tonic clonic and focal seizures and is also autistic. It’s been a long and exhausting journey in terms of his diagnosis and with all medications he’s tried. His seizures have got worse this year.
“Recently Max has been having drop attacks and injured himself. He has broken his collarbone, chipped a tooth and burned himself during seizures.
“He’s desperate to be independent like other kids his age, without us worrying he will hurt himself and constantly looking out for him. We are waiting for Great Ormond Street Hospital to tell us if Max is eligible for surgery and hopefully try some new medication for Lennox-Gastaut syndrome.”
The challenge of doing a mass-event half marathon has boosted Sonia’s motivation.
“Running is a distraction for me and I am grateful for the support from my running friends at Bedford Harriers Athletics Club,” explained Sonia.
“I lost a bit of my mojo during lockdown with group runs cancelled and an injury, so the Great North Run place came up at just the right time. It has given me something to aim for.
“I am a bit nervous, though, so I’ll be running for Max and all the other families impacted by epilepsy.”
Epilepsy Action has been a great source of support to Sonia, who felt fed up and frustrated after searching for answers to Max’s condition for two years. “The Epilepsy Action helpline were fantastic, especially when I needed advice about finding support for Max at school and getting a second opinion on his treatment when it wasn’t working.”
Amy Hesselden, fundraising events officer at Epilepsy Action, said: “It is fantastic that Sonia is joining our other amazing runners in the Great North Run for Epilepsy Action this year.
“Every single step will make huge difference to people living with epilepsy and enable us to be there for them when they need it most.”
Epilepsy affects around one in every 100 people in the UK and 87 people are diagnosed with the condition every day.
Epilepsy Action is committed to improving the lives of people with epilepsy, by campaigning for better services and raising awareness of the condition.
They provide a national network of support groups, with expert advice available on a freephone helpline 0808 800 5050.
To sponsor Sonia, visit her JustGiving page here.
