A 50-YEAR-OLD epilepsy sufferer who has been furloughed from his job as a sales assistant has chosen to take on a series of challenges in his home to raise money for Epilepsy Action.

Antony Cunningham-Smith, who suffered his first seizure when he was 30 and often still has two or three seizures a week, lost his previous job as a nurse after 22 years because of his condition.

When it looked like he was about to lose his next job due to epilepsy again, he contacted Epilepsy Action who were able to provide him guidance and help him secure his job.

"Epilepsy Action were amazing providing me with advice, an ear to talk to and resources to teach my fellow employees about Epilepsy and seizures and as a result I was able to keep my job and educate others how to care for someone suffering a seizure," he said.

Having previously completed fundraising events to support the charity, including taking part in the Great North Run, Anthony began thinking of how he could support the charity in his down time

“I had noticed that Epilepsy Awareness Day this year had passed without any real coverage due to Covid-19, and that many big events that would have been big money raising events had been cancelled such as the London and Brighton Marathon.

“This at time where the NHS rightly is concentrating on Covid-19, so people more than ever are having to turn to charity organisations like Epilepsy Action for help instead.

“Obviously I was on lockdown so instead had to get the creative about how to raise money around the house, hence the virtual challenge.”

For his first challenge, Anthony decided to run in a circle around the perimeter of his garden for five hours, running 20 miles and raising more than £200 in the process.

His next challenge was a ‘stair-a-thon’, where he continuously climbed up and down the stairs in his house, racking up 529 ascents and descents in five hours, adding another £100 to his total.

This week, to continue the fundraising, Anthony got his family involved and, on Wednesday, took penalties for five hours against his daughter Alice.

The pair managed 700 penalties in four hours, with Anthony scoring 235 penalties and 12-year-old Alice saving 465 penalties.

Anthony added: “Alice is a young carer for me, and this is typical of her caring and helping me by taking part in this challenge for four hours in the sun.

“It’s all a bit of fun, all a challenge and all for Epilepsy Action.

“The challenges, although difficult, have given me a great sense of achievement and pride and despite the sweat and blood, literally in the case of the stair challenge, and have been so rewarding.”

To donate, visit justgiving.com/fundraising/antony-cunningham-smith3