The Daisy Garland
1187. David Garland
1188. Sara Garland
David and Sara Garland, from Totnes, are the founders of ‘The Daisy Garland’ charity, the UK’s leading organisation supporting people with difficult to control epilepsy, which was established in memory of their daughter Daisy in 2004.
Daisy showed early signs of epilepsy shortly after birth, soon requiring intensive care after experiencing more severe episodes, and passed away from Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy at the age of six. David and Sara set up the charity several months later to provide support to others with severe epilepsy, particularly by promoting the ketogenic diet, a medically recognised diet that has been shown to improve quality of life for people with epilepsy. In collaboration with the NHS, the charity has funded 21 ketogenic dietitians in NHS hospitals nationwide, ensuring that the ketogenic diet is available free of charge to some of the 18,000 children in the UK who suffer from drug-resistant epilepsy. The charity also provides active care to thousands of families across the UK, including providing support equipment such as monitors for use at home.
In a personal letter to David and Sara, Prime Minister Theresa May said:
“The charity you founded in memory of your daughter Daisy is having a transformational impact for the hundreds of families across the country who are caring for loved ones with difficult to control epilepsy. Your collaboration with the NHS in promoting the ketogenic diet is ensuring thousands of children with drug-resistant epilepsy can benefit from an improved quality of life. I wish you the very best in continuing your inspirational work.”
David and Sara said:
“We are delighted to have been given this award and for our work to have been recognised in this way. For the last 15 years, since losing our daughter Daisy to epilepsy in 2004, we have worked tirelessly to change the outcome for other children suffering with a drug-resistant epilepsy diagnosis, raising over £2.2 million. This award has been won by ‘The Daisy Garland’ and we are incredibly proud to receive it but we haven’t done it alone. We want to thank our many supporters, benefactors, fundraisers, friends, exceptional dieticians and Trustees not to mention our hard working, dedicated staff of 3.4 in our small office in Devon. But above all we want to mention the brave children who suffer from drug-resistant epilepsy and their amazing families and friends; we are privileged to help them and this award is for all of us.”
Watch more about David’s and Sara’s work below: