Leanne Bowman is shown here flying the flag for Epilepsy Research UK in a Tandem Skydive to raise vital funds for the only national charity exclusively dedicated to funding research. Leanne wanted to do something a little bit different to raise funds as her brother has suffered from epilepsy for over 10 years so it’s something close to her heart. She wishes to thank everyone who has supported her by their kind donations Epilepsy rarely hits the headlines and yet in the UK alone an estimated 600,000 people are living with the condition. That’s 1 in every 103 people!

A spokesperson said: “ERUK is working tirelessly to support ground-breaking research across the UK. Some of the projects currently funded include; investigating new techniques to diagnose and treat epilepsy, using cuttingedge methods to improve outcomes in brain surgery. Developing new strategies to improve quality of life for people with epilepsy, and Skydive in Aid of Epilepsy Research exploring ways in which sudden unexpected death might be prevented. Our efforts are making a real difference, but we need help to continue. Research is funded entirely through voluntary donations and we are hugely appreciative of the efforts made by our supporters to fundraise on our behalf. Without the support of people like Leanne, our work will stop.

If you would like to contribute to our research, please visit Leanne’s sponsor page at www.justgiving.com Leanne Bowman’s Tandem Skydive. Alternatively, you can make a donation to ERUK by visiting www.epilepsyresearch.org.uk, emailing info@eruk.org.uk, or writing to Epilepsy Research UK, PO Box 3004, London, W4 4XT. Leanne lives in Chilton and works in Newton Aycliffe at Creations Hair salon in the Thames Centre. She said: “I would like to thank all our customers at the shop for their very kind donations. I’ve raised around £1,000, and can’t thank you enough for supporting me through my crazy adventure. My Skydive was an absolutely amazing experience”.