A director of nursing at the Haven House Children’s Hospice in Woodford Green has been recognised as a champion of young people with epilepsy at City Hall.

Christine Twomey received an award from Dr Miriam Stoppard in a ceremony last night for her work running the hospice’s programme to train parents and carers to look after children who experience epilepsy.

She was given The Young Epilepsy Professional Champion Award for also raising awareness of the condition and its treatment.

Christine, from Wanstead, said: “I recognised that our treatment plans for children with epilepsy were not as good as they could possibly be, so I did something about it. Haven House staff are now specially trained in epilepsy, the parents are empowered to ask the right questions and we have improved the quality of care for our children and young people.”

She was accompanied to receive her award by Dr Tom Crusz, from Woodford Green, a long-term volunteer at the hospice who helped with much of the epilepsy work.

Dr Stoppard said: “Epilepsy is one of those conditions that doesn’t get the kind of profile it desperately needs. It is more common than diabetes, yet people’s level of understanding of epilepsy is much lower, almost non-existent in fact.”