Have you watched our new documentary with professional stand-up comedian Jake Lambert?
Jake hosted a series of comedy workshops with young people to explore whether finding the funny side of life can help us talk more openly about epilepsy, mental health and the challenges that come with both.
We were joined by young people from our Youth Voice Network, as well as young people with epilepsy who found the opportunity online.
The workshops were completely free to join and offered a chance to hear Jake’s story, learn some of the mechanics behind stand-up comedy and, importantly, meet other young people who get what it’s like to live with epilepsy.
Together, they explored how humour can help us process difficult experiences, open up conversations about mental health and challenge some of the misconceptions and stigma that still surround epilepsy.
In the documentary, Jake also shares his own experience of epilepsy and why he wanted to bring it out into the open in his stand-up. He talks candidly about the barriers to raising awareness too, including his own attempts to get a documentary about epilepsy made when TV production companies weren’t interested.
For Jake and the young people taking part, comedy became a way to take something that can often feel difficult to talk about and look at it from a different angle.
And we couldn't explore comedy without putting on a comedy night of our own.
We topped off the project with a night at The Comedy Store in London, with some brilliant comedians taking to the stage for Young Epilepsy, including Omid Djalili, Adam Kay and Hal Cruttenden and more fantastic acts.
Funny, honest and thought-provoking, the documentary explores what can happen when we create space for young people to talk openly about epilepsy, mental health and everything that comes with it.
Watch the documentary in full on YouTube and discover whether comedy really can help change the conversation around epilepsy.
