I AM delighted to advise you that your newspaper has been awarded the British Epilepsy Association Gold Award for Journalism 1998.

Recognition of this award has been made for positive and accurate coverage of epilepsy by the top 25 regional newspapers in the UK.

This prestigious national award is part of an ongoing campaign to eradicate the stigma that people with epilepsy experience. Despite being the most common serious neurological condition, affecting nearly 450,000 people in the UK, very little is known publicly about it and how devastating a diagnosis of epilepsy can be.

By printing accurate information about epilepsy your newspaper has contributed a great deal in informing the general public about the condition, as well as helping to encourage those living with it to conquer fears and have the confidence to challenge others when they may feel discriminated against.

I do hope that you are as delighted to receive this award as BEA is to present it to you.

Lucy Laville

Public Relations Officer

Editor's note: We are delighted to accept the award and hope our coverage assists the BEA campaign.

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