Barnton family's epilepsy campaign raises more than £6,500

Rachael King’s husband Ben and their sons Jenson, two, and baby William all suffer from epilepsy, which makes hospital their second home.

She raised more than £200 with a cake sale to coincide with Epilepsy Action’s Purple Day in March last year and never expected to smash that total by thousands of pounds.

Speaking to the Guardian an emotional Rachael said: “I cried all day with happy tears.

“When I first started out I aimed to raise £500 so to raise £6,000 more than that is amazing.

“I feel like I’m on cloud nine, I’m full of excitement.”

The family started their campaign in January by organising a balloon race to take place at Barnton Pre-school, Jenson’s pre-school, during Purple Day on Wednesday.

Then they started selling Epilepsy Action keyrings, were given a £1,000 holiday from Eurocamp to auction off and a host of raffle prizes.

“What started out as a balloon race became massive,” Rachael said.

“People have been so kind – me and Ben need to thank everyone from the bottom of our hearts.”

The £6,573 will be split between Epilepsy Action, Alder Hey and Leighton Hospital’s epilepsy unit.

But, for the Kings, the campaign has been about much more than fundraising.

“It’s made me much more of a happier person in the past few months – it’s upsetting seeing your children in hospital but having the fundraising alongside has given us so much positivity in our lives,” Rachael said.

“You go through so much and to have all these people helping and giving support makes you realise how much people care and we’re so lucky to have all these people around us.”

It has also helped to raise awareness of epilepsy itself.

Rachael said: “The most amazing thing I have gained from this experience is being told yesterday by a lady because of our epilepsy awareness that if she saw someone having a seizure she would now know what do to – potentially saving a life!

“That to me is just truly amazing and priceless.”