A Rickmansworth woman has been chosen to represent the Epilepsy Society as a part of a special public art installation in London.
Emma Griffith, who was diagnosed with epilepsy as a child, is to have her hand cast in brass or aluminium for a special donor wall at University College London (UCL).
The wall celebrates the UCL Circle of Benefactors and recognises organisations and individuals who have gone above and beyond to support the university’s people, research and projects.
When the Epilepsy Society was asked to be part of the wall, they ran a competition to find someone to represent the organisation who had benefited from its services.
Emma, 34, has been treated at the charity’s Chalfont Centre in Chalfont St Peter since she was a teenager.
At around 18 or 19, she suffered her first chronic seizure which turned her “life upside down” and rendered her unable to drive.
She said: “The Epilepsy Society became my light in so much darkness. It has guided me in managing my condition and has helped me in managing a more stable life which I could not have done without the help of my amazing consultant.”
Emma has now been seizure-free for more than five years and feels she is able to get on with her life, living independently and working. This year, she raised £2,000 for the Epilepsy Society by sky diving from a plane.
She said: “I was thrilled to be asked to represent the charity as part of the wall and it was very exciting to spend time at UCL having my hand cast and seeing where it will eventually displayed.”
Clare Pelham, chief executive at the charity, said: “We were delighted to select Emma as our ‘hand in history’. She embodies everything that the Epilepsy Society is about – empowering people with epilepsy to live the lives they want to lead.”
Angharad Milenkovic, vice-president (Advancement) at UCL, said: “Emma’s hand cast is a welcome addition to our striking donor wall – a celebration of the power of philanthropy at the heart of our Bloomsbury campus. Emma’s hand will be an inspiring symbol of the philanthropic partnership which we are proud to have with the Epilepsy Society.”
Photo credit: The Epilepsy Society
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