Woman who suffers with seizures to take on Kidney Wales CDF 10K to prove what is possible
A civil servant from Roath will be taking on the Kidney Wales CDF 10K in September to prove to herself, and others, that she is so much more than her health condition.
Amy Staveley was diagnosed with functional neurological disorder (FND) four years ago. It causes her to have non-epileptic seizures which can’t be controlled through medication but rather her lifestyle choices.
While they can happen at any moment and have lasting effects such as partial paralysis as well as stutters, she wants to prove to herself that she is more than FND and she can still do everything that she did before her diagnosis.
The 31-year-old will now be taking on her first running event, the Kidney Wales CDF 10K, to continue to push herself to see what she’s capable of.
Amy said: “I got diagnosed with FND in 2022. It’s not something you have from birth but rather a condition that can develop at any point in your life. It’s your body’s way of coping with trauma and can be brought on by one event or a few things that have been pushed aside and been left to bubble under the surface for a while.
“For me, it was a build up of multiple events and at the time I was diagnosed I was in a very stressful job which acted as the catalyst. The best analogy I have for it is like being on a computer with 10 tabs open, and then you go to open the 11th and it just shuts down to protect itself as it’s been overloaded with too much.”
When Amy’s FND is triggered, she has a non-epileptic seizure. It means she can hear everything that is going on around her but there isn’t anything she is able to do until the seizure subsides.
She said: “I can be working out in the gym and go into a seizure, then get back up and finish what I started. I have seizures in supermarkets, public events and family events too. It can happen at any time, anywhere.
“My seizures show as a tremor so they’re not as violent as an epileptic seizure. My eyes close and I can hear people talking to me, but I can’t act upon it.
“I count myself very lucky with my FND as there are some people who have partial paralysis or end up in wheelchairs unable to walk. Those around me have learnt not to panic when it happens too as that can make things a lot worse. I feel very fortunate to have such a good support network – including my partner Amy and my personal trainer at Ellis Frangos Performance in Cardiff who helps me through all of my relapses and seizures in the gym, as well as my work.”
Amy said there isn’t much that can be done to help her. She usually needs to wait for the seizure to finish. As there is no medication, she tries to manage her stressors as much as she can and takes measures to lead a healthy lifestyle such as not drinking alcohol, not smoking and keeping fit and healthy.
While she has typically preferred lifting heavy at the gym, her partner Amy has started getting her into running, and now she has signed up to take part in the Kidney Wales CDF 10K in September.
Amy, who is originally from Derbyshire and moved to Cardiff in 2023, said: “I love Cardiff so wanted my first race to be here. There’s always a great atmosphere with people cheering you all the way to the finish line.
“Of course, I’m worried that I will have seizure, particularly as it can happen when my heart rate is elevated and my adrenaline levels are high. Hopefully if that does happen, I’ll see it out and be able to continue to the end of the race, I’ll just have to judge it on the day.
“I also hope that if anyone else is going through something similar, that they feel they can approach me and see me as a friendly face of someone who is going through the same thing they are. I feel very lucky compared to others who have the disorder, but I want people to know that it doesn’t have to stop you from living your life and doing the things you love.”
The Kidney Wales CDF 10K takes place on Sunday 6 September and will be celebrating its 40th anniversary year this year.
Matt Newman, Chief Executive at event organisers Run 4 Wales, added: “We’re so pleased that Amy has chosen the Kidney Wales CDF 10K as her first ever running event. We’ll be cheering for her every step of the way and wish her the best of luck with her training and look forward to welcoming her on the start line in September.”
