Mother With Epilepsy The Focus Of New BBC Radio Play

Mother With Epilepsy the Focus of New BBC Radio Play

BBC Radio 4 is set to host a new drama by Louise Monaghan, titled Slipping Through Time. The production will feature Game of Throne’s star Ellie Kendrick, who will be portraying Izzy, a young mom suffering from epilepsy.

Monaghan extracted elements from her own experiences with epilepsy while writing the play, but also spoke with the Epilepsy Society supporters in an attempt to fully grasp the impact that living with the seizures can have. Having spoken at Epilepsy Society’s conference in March, Monaghan said, “this is the first time I have written about epilepsy and my producer was very keen for me to explore other people’s experiences beyond my own.”

Through the Epilepsy Society, Monaghan met a young mom by the name of Sarah, who she found to be somewhat of a muse. Sarah spoke candidly to her about epilepsy, pregnancy, birth, labor and new babies. “She said she was told not to breastfeed after having her first child. By the time she was told she could, it was too late. I was very shocked by this, but I found Sarah very inspirational,” said Monaghan.

Ellie Kendrick

Game of Throne’s star Ellie Kendrick was quite captivated by Monaghan’s rendering of Izzy’s character, saying that “Louise Monaghan makes Izzy a very real and complex human being with a really relatable story.  Although the play is structured around her epilepsy, she is by no means defined by it.

Nicola Swanborough, the Epilepsy Society’s content manager, said “Louise’s play is a great way of bringing epilepsy awareness to a new audience. I think it will really help to show people that the impact of epilepsy can reach far beyond the convulsive seizures that people tend to know most about.”

“Epilepsy can have a very specific impact on women during pregnancy and on mums who live with seizures. This play tackles both issues in a very informed and realistic way,” she further stated.

Monaghan’s play is set to air on Thursday, June 1st, at 2:15 pm. It will be available through BBC iPlayer as well.

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This piece is based on an article published by EpilepsySociety.org.uk, which can be seen here.

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Megan Baksh received her Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science at Nova Southeastern University in May of 2016, and is currently pursuing an education in the field of psychology.