Epilepsy Family’s cycle ride to raise money for charity
ALAN Pring was captain of QEH School, played rugby for Bristol and South of England and became a barrister after studying law at King’s College and the Bar School in London.
At the age of 27, he had the world at his feet until he was diagnosed with epilepsy and died the same year from a condition known as sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP).
This took place in 1990, more than 30 years ago, and now his sister Kate Fisher, her husband Scott and their sons, Tom and Ben, will cycle 160 miles this weekend to raise funds for SUDEP Action in memory of her brother.
The charity was formed by Alan’s mum, his previous partner, Jane Hanna, and three other bereaved mothers to further research following SUDEP deaths in their families.
There are at least three epilepsyrelated deaths a day in the UK. That’s over 20 a week, but there are factors which can be addressed to reduce the risk.
Alan’s sister Kate said that May 8 would have been Alan’s 60th birthday. She said: “We planned a garden party on the coronation weekend to celebrate Alan’s 60th birthday and my husband came up with the idea of a cycle ride to significant places in Alan’s life to raise funds for the charity.”
Growing up in Filton and after graduating in law, Alan gained a position at Pump Court Chambers before moving to Winchester Chambers in 1989. Kate said her brother’s epilepsy diagnosis in 1990, when he was 27 years old, “was a huge shock”.
“He had always led a full and active life and was determined to live life to the full,” she added. “He was given medication to control the condition but was never warned about the risks of SUDEP. Alan had two further seizures before suffering a fatal seizure in his sleep on 4 December 1990.”
Kate said none of the family were prepared for his sudden death which hit them hard, saying: “None of us knew anything about sudden unexpected death in epilepsy.”
She added that latest figures indicate there are 21 deaths a week in the UK related to epilepsy and that “half of those could be avoided, there are things you can do to avoid it.”
The family will cycle from London to Winchester on the Saturday where they will visit the road and neighbours where Alan stayed, as well as the pub Alan frequented and meet up with some of his friends. On Sunday they will cycle from Winchester back to Bristol.
Kate, who cycles to work and back from Henleaze where the family now lives, said: “It will be the first time we have done a long ride as a family, we’ve never done such a significant ride before. We’ve done lots of rides south and north of Bristol to prepare,” she said.
Kate’s mother Sheila, along with three other mothers who had lost children to SUDEP, and Alan’s partner at the time, Jane Hanna, started Epilepsy Bereaved following Alan’s death to provide support to families who had lost someone to SUDEP.
But this has grown and evolved over the years to SUDEP Action which is not only about supporting families, but also targeting the risks behind SUDEP.