Purple day is the biggest fundraising day of action for epilepsy charities and causes. As someone living with epilepsy, raising money is not only very important but has direct implications for me and, of course, huge numbers of people worldwide.

To raise money for Epilepsy Scotland, I will be swimming a double marathon in the four weeks leading up to purple day, which is the distance from my home in Edinburgh to the Epilepsy Scotland offices in Glasgow. This will mean swimming just over 3km - or 122 lengths - every day for 4 weeks.

I aim to raise £2,000. I know times are tough, but if you can spare any amount of money at all, I would be hugely grateful.

I had my first seizure when I was 18. I had just arrived at a friend's house and bent down to untie my shoes. I woke up several minutes later, unaware of who I was, where I was, who those around me were, what had happened or what was going to happen to me. I had just had a 'grand mal' seizure (the kind most will be familiar with - someone falling unconscious and fitting on the floor). Aside from the danger and physical toll of the fitting period, the subsequent confusion is an experience in which you feel simultaneously trapped in your body and disconnected from reality. It is terrifying.

Having epilepsy not only comes with the physical parts of the condition but impacts the mental health of those with epilepsy and their friends and family. Watching someone having a seizure is a horrifying experience. Studies show an increased prevalence of PTSD in family members and carers of those with epilepsy. Rates of depression and anxiety are higher in people with epilepsy. Indeed, anxiety is something that has affected me significantly in the years I have had epilepsy.

Over the last decade, I have been on a medical journey to control my epilepsy. After years of trying different and varying quantities of seizure-control drugs and managing their side effects, I have now been seizure-free for 18 months.

I've chosen a swimming challenge to highlight the fact that there are many everyday things many people with epilepsy can't or choose not to do because of the risk seizures would pose. Some with uncontrolled seizures would choose not to have a bath, let alone swim in a pool.

Whether controlled or not, epilepsy is ever-present in the daily lives of those with the condition and those around them. With support from charities like Epilepsy Scotland, however, that need not be a bad thing. The support and sense of community the charity provides not only helps mitigate the effects of epilepsy for many, but enriches and becomes a central part of their lives.

I have the privilege of being a trustee of Epilepsy Scotland and I see first-hand the incredible work they do to support people with epilepsy and their loved ones. It is a truly brilliant charity and deserve every single penny they raise - yours will be going to the very best of use.

Thanks to all who donate to and share this fundraiser.

Time to get my goggles on!

About Epilepsy Scotland

Epilepsy Scotland works with people living with epilepsy to ensure that their voice is heard. Around 58,000 people in Scotland live with epilepsy and they help anyone with this common serious neurological condition, their families, carers and employers.

Epilepsy Scotland believes that people living with epilepsy have a right to be free from stigma and discrimination, have access to high-quality medical, social, educational, support and information services be valued and included in society and determine their own way of life.

You can find out about the amazing things Epilepsy Scotland does - providing advice, running support groups and services, offering training, commissioning and contributing to research, and driving policy change and campaigns - on their website.