Stress, stairs and epilepsy in the House of Commons

Rosie Wrighting is one of just 10 Gen Z MPs. She is the youngest female to be elected at the last election and has recently been appointed as a Labour Health Champion. But here she puts politics to one side to speak, for the first time in public, about another important part of her life – her epilepsy.

Rosie Wrighting MP has already made headlines by being the youngest female to be elected to parliament in the July 2024 election, at the age of just 27.

She is also Kettering’s first female MP and stands out for being a rare figure skater among the pantheon of MPs to have passed through the chambers. But very few people will be aware that Rosie has epilepsy. 

This is the first time she has spoken publicly about living with the condition.

It was only a month before her election campaign began last year that Rosie got her driving licence back. But she reckons that most of her constituents and fellow MPs would be surprised to learn that she has epilepsy and that is the reason she couldn’t previously drive. “People assume that if you stop driving you have already got a ban,” says Rosie. “No one thinks epilepsy.”

Epilepsy diagnosis

Rosie started having tonic clonic seizures in her teens but wasn’t diagnosed until her early 20s. “I didn’t know much about epilepsy and certainly it wasn’t what I thought it was. Also, I didn’t know anyone else with the condition. I thought it was just me. That is why I now feel it is important for me to talk about my epilepsy in the hope that it will help other people.”

Rosie admits that a diagnosis of epilepsy was a big learning curve for her. “It came at a very frustrating time for me. I had just started driving and was off at university. Suddenly I couldn’t do all the things that my friends were doing like staying up late at night. I had to grow up much faster than everyone else and educate myself about my epilepsy so that I could give my body the best chance of dealing with my epilepsy.

“It took me some time to work out that late nights and alcohol were triggers for me. Also, that I needed to eat well and stay hydrated. But it really increased my interest in fitness and that has been a long-term benefit for me.”

Learning how to fall

Rosie is a keen figure skater although she is quick to point out that, contrary to some reports, she is not a professional. “I may be young to be an MP but equally I am too old to be a competitive skater,” she laughs.

“Skating really is a hobby and passion for me. One of the reasons that I enjoy it is that it is a way for me to see that my body can do something positive. I used to blame my body for my seizures but when I am skating, I can control my body which is in direct contrast to epilepsy and seizures.”

One of the first lessons that Rosie learnt as a skater was how to fall although ironically that skill has not helped her cope with her epilepsy. “I don’t remember much about my seizures,” she says, “it is my family and friends who have to witness them and worry. But I do worry about where and how I fall and the repercussions. I always fall backwards so I try not to put myself in stressful or dangerous situations. I don’t swim, I find that too scary but probably my biggest worries on a daily basis are stairs and stress.”

Stressful career path

There are a lot of stairs in the House of Commons and a lot of stress but Rosie has never opted for an easy career path. She started out in the fast-paced retail industry, working as a fashion buyer for ASOS before switching to politics.

“I was raised by my mum who was and still is a local youth worker in Kettering,” continues Rosie. “I saw the cuts to public services and the rise in crime. I saw health outcomes go down and schools struggling and I wanted to be a part of the change for Kettering. I felt it needed someone to fight for it.”

Importance of a diagnosis

Rosie also feels that her epilepsy has given her a good insight into some of the problems faced by others with invisible disabilities. “My diagnosis made a big difference for me,” she says. “I was living a life of uncertainty but suddenly I had a reason for the symptoms that I was experiencing. I had a name. For the first time I knew that it wasn’t just me. My GP and neurologist were brilliant, but it did take some time to join up the dots and for me to get a medication at a dose that would control my seizures. I think the sooner people can get a diagnosis and the right medication at the right dose, the better.

“Also, coming from a semi-rural area and having had to rely on public transport because I couldn’t drive, I know just how difficult that can be for people.”

Breaking down the stigma

Rosie says that she is now at the point where she takes her epilepsy into consideration without really thinking about it. “It’s just part of me and luckily, at the moment, my seizures are well controlled. But I still try to avoid stressful situations that might increase my risk of a seizure.

“I think one of the things that people don’t realise is that epilepsy is not just about the actual seizure, it is about worrying that one might happen and how that worry can affect your day-to-day life. That is one of the hardest things to explain about epilepsy.  It is so important that we break down the stigma around invisible conditions and I hope that talking about epilepsy will help achieve this.”