BRAVE Rosie Clift not only had her head shaved on Saturday but also had the logos of two Swindon organisations traced on her scalp in a bid to raise awareness of epilepsy.

The 61-year-old, of Rodbourne, who has suffered with epilepsy since she was 57, had the logo of the Swindon Epilepsy Support Group shaved into one side of her head, and the logo of the Rotary Club of Swindon Phoenix on the other, in full view of shoppers outside Waterstones in the Brunel Centre.

Rosie chose Saturday to do the deed as it coincided with the end of National Epilepsy Week, which ran from May 17 to 23.

“I wanted to do a headshave as I wanted to do something to raise awareness of epilepsy and the support group here in Swindon,” she said.

“I joined the group about three years ago, and it’s brilliant.

“It’s a great place for people to go to to talk about their symptoms.

“There are 40 different types of epilepsy and the group is just somewhere people can go to talk with other people who might be going through the same thing.”

Rosie said she was proud of going under the razor. She said: “Everyone has been saying how brave I was.

“I wasn’t nervous because it was something I wanted to do and I thought it would help to raise awareness.

“I decided to have the logos shaved in to so the whole process would take a bit longer and there was a greater chance of more people knowing what was going on and why.”

Since joining the group, Rosie has developed her own confidence in talking about the condition. “I bet there are a lot of other people in Swindon who just don’t leave their house because of epilepsy,” she said. “Since going to the group I’ve really improved my confidence.”

A spokesman from the Swindon Epilepsy Group said: “In September 2010, Rotary started the Swindon Epilepsy Support Group which is now supported by the Rotary Club of Swindon Phoenix.

“The aim of this group is to bring together people who suffer from or are affected by epilepsy and live in Swindon and surrounding areas.

“It encourages people to come together and talk about and interact with each other regarding this condition.

“The group has been a great success since its inception and many sufferers have found help and comfort from meeting other sufferers and carers.”

For more information about the Swindon Epilepsy Group, visit rotary-ribi.org/clubs/page.php?PgID=421082&ClubID=2089.

  • An epileptic seizure happens when there is a sudden burst of intense electrical activity in the brain which causes a temporary disruption to the way the brain works, so its messages become mixed up. What happens during a seizure will depend on where in the brain the epileptic activity begins, and how widely it spreads.