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Living with seizures: ‘It’s lonely, people just don’t understand’

Jodie Kelly

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She sits on her bed calmly with her legs crossed beneath her and a glass of water poised in her hand. As somebody who did not know her health issues, you would think she was just a normal 19-year-old girl.

But then she seizes.

This girl, who only moments ago was laughing uncontrollably, was now shaking violently with her eyes rolling to the back of her head and her body limp.

“I am sorry”, she said to me as she gained control in a voice which felt inhumane – foreign and fragile.

In the UK, 103,600 people live with epilepsy – a disease which results in seizures as brain activity becomes uncontrollable. And yet, people like Cerys Howells feels as though people still fail to understand the severity of her health.

“I always feel as though I don’t look ‘disabled enough’. Last week, I went to a social event and when I asked security for help to support my condition, they questioned the validity of my health passport, even taking it away from me at one stage.”

“It’s lonely. People just do not understand. I don’t want people’s pity, I just want to be supported and to feel like me.”

Cerys Howells’ seizures are medically unexplained, as it has been confirmed she does not have epilepsy, however, she continues to push for answers.

“[I feel as though] my health [has] been overlooked by doctors and nurses,” she said.

“I had a car crash in April 2023 and since have been dismissed by many health professionals. I feel like my seizures were caused from this, as I did take a massive knock to my head and was unconscious for about five minutes.

“The paramedics at the scene sent me home, it was my mum who took me to A&E, but they did not look for possible head injuries.”

“I am now pushing my GP surgery for a CT scan, and hopefully then I can get some answers about these random but scary seizures,” she said.

Following our talks with Miss Howells, WINOL conducted a survey which found that 15.4% of students would not know how to react if they saw somebody having a seizure, while 30.8% of students were not sure.

“Seeing somebody [having a seizure] can be a very stressful thing” said Nikhil Shah from the Epilepsy Society.

“It is important that we remember the three words: calm, cushion call – stay calm, cushion their head and call an ambulance.

“Staying calm is important for [the seizer], but also the person supporting them. We cushion their head to prevent them from harming themselves while they are shaking. You can use a jumper or jacket, something like that.”

Understanding how to react to somebody having a seizure is important. It prevents injuries to the seizer and damage, but most importantly, it can potentially save a life like Cerys.

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Winchester News Online

Greenham Common holds half marathon in aid of baby charity

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On Sunday, Run Forest Run organised a half marathon alongside a 10k run, canicross route and a kids race all having the goal of raising money for the charity New life who help provide essential and specialized equipment for neonatal units helping premature and seriously ill babies survive and live their life.

New Life was launched by Trevor Goodall 30 years ago after his two sons died after they were born underweight.

Since then the charity has raised more than £2m.

The half marathon, which was making its second appearance on the common, was won by Lawrence Gillard in a time of 1:26:46.

In the 10k ,out of 99 runners, Danny Hawkins came out on top completing the route in just over 34 minutes and with their furry companion in the canicross, Mark Chance crossed the line first in 42:52.

The course passed the control towers and bunkers which were previously used in the Cold War.

The nearby airfield was previously used as a filming location for some Star Wars films as well as Fast and Furious.

It wasn’t only the other runners they were racing against but having to navigate cattle and herds around the area.

One of the founders of Run Forest Run, Mark Hayes said: “We’ve got six events planned for next year and possibly two others.

“We had about 400 runners last year, and raised around £22,000 and we always have New life special care babies as our primary charity.”

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Billie Jean King – Battle of the Sexes – 1973

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This is a portrait of Billie Jean King, courtesy of Jonathan Exley - Billie Jean King Enterprises, Inc.

The year was 1973. The lights of the Houston Astrodome glared down on a tennis court that had become more than just a playing field — it was a stage for a cultural revolution.

Cameras flashed, tension buzzed in the air, and two players stepped onto the court — one a confident showman, the other a determined trailblaser carrying the hopes of millions.

As the first serve sliced through the air on that September evening, millions around the world weren’t just watching a tennis match — they were witnessing a fight for equality, respect, and change.

Billie Jean King is a legendary American tennis champion and advocate for gender equality whose career and impact extends far beyond the court.

With 39 Grand Slams titles and a historic victory in 1973, “Battle of the Sexes” match, she not only proved her athletic ability but also challenged stereotypes about women within the world of sport.

As a founder of the Women’s Tennis Association and a leader behind equal prize money, King became a powerful force for fairness and inclusion, later emerging as a voice for LGBTQ+ rights.

Her legacy as both a world class athlete and a fearless activist changed the game for generations to come.

The “Battle of the Sexes” was a famous match, between Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs, a former men’s champion who was adamant that men were superior athletes.

The match was played in front of more than 30,000 fans at the Houston Astrodome and watched by roughly 90 million people worldwide, the event was a both a sporting spectacle and a major milestone in the fight for gender equality.

Billie Jean King defeated Riggs in straight sets (6-4, 6-3, 6-3), this proved that women could compete in the highest level which inspired greater respect and opportunities for female athletes around the world.


The event’s impact was immediate. Women’s tennis surged in popularity, drawing new audiences, sponsorships, and media coverage. King used the momentum to push for lasting change.

This helped the US Open to become the first major tournament to offer equal pay. Her win also empowered a new generation of female athletes to come out and code and what was rightfully theirs.

More than five decades later, the Battle of the Sexes remains a cultural milestone.

It symbolised more than just a tennis match, it was a statement about equality, perseverance, and the power of sport to challenge societal norms.


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Culture

Review of The Roses 2025

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The Roses film poster

If something looks perfect from the outside does it mean it actually is?

That’s the concept that director Jay Roach brings to life in the new movie The Roses released in August 2025.

The Roses is a reimagining of the 1989 film The War of the Roses which was originally based on Warren Adler’s 1981 novel.

Although unlike the novel the characters instead are shown to struggle with their different careers either rising or falling.

It has been adapted, in my opinion, to make it resonate with women a lot more as in both the novel and first film the women were stay at home mothers who felt unsatisfied.

This appears to be one of the main reasons for the divorces with Barbara (Kathleen Turner) eventually turning to a catering business.

However, within the new modernised version Ivy’s (Olivia Colman) successful career is a point of contempt for Theo (Benedict Cumberbatch).

While it starts off with a more realistic depiction of parents struggling with the loss of a career and a start of a new one, it slowly divulges itself away from the typical divorcee movie.  

I watched this movie at the Everyman (luxury I know!) and the grip it had on me as an audience member was outstanding.

With the selection of actors involved in this movie it’s no surprise that there is a mix of comedy and drama making it a satirical black comedy.

While it was delightful to watch, I feel that some audience members might criticise the realism of the movie.

Yet I go to the cinema to be transported from real life so the mix of realism and shock factor was highly entertaining. 

A contrasting mix of comedy and darkness

The performances from the actors was exactly what the movie needed.

The chemistry, or lack thereof, between Colman and Cumberbatch was so believable that you would think that they were married in real life.

Their delivery of both the comedy and the rage was again so believable that it sucked me as the audience into what was the “dirty laundry” of their personal lives.

With a supporting cast including Andy Samberg, Allison Janney and others their characters mostly brought the comedy relief needed in to break the movie up.

They also gave us a contrast to the main relationship being shown which helped us recognise how some of the actions were exaggerated for our benefit. 

However, some critics online have noted that while it is undeniably a satirical dark comedy, the dark comedy seemed to be held back some times, therefore not always giving it the edge it needed.

I think that for a 15 certificate movie it had just the right amount to stretch over its wide audience.

Another criticism that The Roses received was that the contrast between the comedy and cruelty was sometimes so abrupt that it didn’t hit as hard as it could have.

At some points the comedy seemed out of place which almost gave the film a sort of jarring feel as they changed between the emotions.

The ending is ambiguous which can have mixed reactions from the audience.

Some may like to have the movie tied up neatly at the end whereas others like that they can believe what they want to believe.

I am the latter in the case of this movie as I enjoyed the fact that I could believe either the more macabre ending or not.  

To me the ending, without giving any spoilers, had me on the edge of my seat with a real 360 turn.

Again it had the perfect amount of shock factor and comedy which highlighted the overall tone throughout.

I felt that it drew the entire film together nicely especially with the ending performance from Coleman and Cumberbatch. 

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