'Don't let epilepsy stop your ambitions'

Adam Franks was diagnosed with epilepsy at the age of 11 but went on to play for two seasons with the Guildford Flames

A former professional ice hockey player who lives with epilepsy says young people with the condition should never give up on their ambitions.

Adam Franks, from Camberley in Surrey, dreamed of becoming a sportsman but said he thought his plans were destroyed when he was diagnosed at the age of 11.

But after years of determination and treatment, Adam was invited to train with the first team at the Guildford Flames and was eventually chosen to play for them professionally.

To mark Purple Day on Wednesday - the international epilepsy awareness day - Adam said that epilepsy did not need to stand in the way of a successful career.

Adam during his playing days

"When I was diagnosed it was difficult to process," he said.

"One minute you're a normal kid then the next day your world has changed completely."

Adam, now 43, explained that when he was diagnosed with epilepsy, his school didn't know how to support him.

"If I had one [a seizure] at school then the teachers left me in a room by myself until my parents got there," he said.

"It's hard to know what to do without panicking, but the main thing to remember is the three Cs - calm, cushion and call for help."

The Epilepsy Society recommends anyone who sees someone having a seizure should stay calm, cushion the person's head with something soft, and call for help.

Adam, who played two seasons for Guildford Flames and now runs a clothing brand, is joining thousands of others with epilepsy to spread the message of the three Cs on Purple Day.