ISHA Kausar Hakeen smiles with delight at the prospect of a trip to the Argyll countryside as she reels off a list of activities she wants to try.

It's not unusual for 12-year-olds to get excited about an action-packed adventure weekend with everything from climbing to kayaking on offer.

It is for Isha.

She was diagnosed with epilepsy at the start of the year and just two months ago underwent major surgery to remove a brain tumour.

She has made a phenomenal recovery.

She's back at school and looking forward to a weekend break with her mum and 14 other families tomorrow at the Ardentinny Outdoor Education Centre.

The epilepsy diagnosis has changed her life.

The trip has been organised by Epilepsy Connections, a charity set up to provide information and support to people with the condition.

For the first time it is taking away a group of families, children with epilepsy, their parents and siblings, on a much-needed break.

"I want to do all the activities and get the chance to do action things," beams Isha, from Govanhill, Glasgow.

"I want to try archery and go mountain climbing."

Ghazala Hakeen laughs as her daughter says she can't decide what she's more excited about - all the action activities or the chance to sleep in bunk beds.

"It will be really good for her," she says. "Due to our financial position we're not able to go on trips.

"This is providing an opportunity for those who can't afford things to be able to not only mix with people who are in a similar position but to get the opportunity to experience something different.

"I believe there's education in everything, so we're looking forward to it."

Ghazala and Isha found out about Epilepsy Connections after Isha's diagnosis.

Isha told a specialist nurse at Yorkill Hospital she wanted to meet other children who suffered from the condition to understand how it affects them.

Through regular activities run by the charity for families living with childhood epilepsy, Isha has made new friends and found the confidence to face a new life with epilepsy.

"I was surprised that Isha asked to meet other people, but that shows her curiosity and her willingness to learn," says Ghazala.

"Coming to Epilepsy Connections, I feel a lot better as well because I speak to other parents about my daughter and they speak to me about their children, enhancing my knowledge.

"I think it's important for people to learn, we hadn't had much exposure to people with disabilities of any form so to be able to learn about real-life issues is important.

"I think it's great that there is an organisation here, in our city, that we can go to and speak to people and get support to teach us what to do. We can then pass on that knowledge to others, because a lot of people at Isha's school didn't know about epilepsy."

A common neurological condition that affects one in 97 people, 87 new cases of epilepsy are diagnosed in the UK every day.

It is a complex and unpredictable condition that can affect anyone of any age or stage in life. Some sufferers have mild epilepsy while others have frequent, severe seizures alongside other disabling symptoms.

With the right treatment, the majority of people with epilepsy can get on with their lives, but it can be challenging to live with.

"I didn't know any other children with epilepsy, that's why I wanted to meet them, because no-one at school had it, and whenever I had a seizure they'd be staring at me and wondering what I'm doing," says Isha.

"I wanted to explain to them, and the teacher explained as well, so they knew what was happening and whenever I had a seizure they could tell the teacher to come and help me.

"All the teachers are very supportive."

Shirley Maxwell, executive director of Epilepsy Connections, says children with epilepsy can find themselves excluded from group activities, making it difficult for them to make friends.

She says epilepsy still carries a stigma.

Discussing and explaining epilepsy and managing other people's responses to it can be an additional source of anxiety and stress, and could be why a substantial proportion (a third of children and a quarter of parents) keep their epilepsy a secret.

"We run regular activities for families living with childhood epilepsy," explains Shirley.

"The aim is to bring children with epilepsy and their brothers and sisters together to have fun, make friends and try new things.

"Our families love things like indoor climbing, tobogganing, art, bowling, trips to the Science Centre, the panto and the cinema.

"This weekend, we're taking that to a new level.

"Thanks to funding from the Scottish Government's Short Breaks Fund, we're able to take 15 families to Ardentinny for a weekend of kayaking, climbing, sailing, crag-hopping and gorge-walking. We hope to give everyone a chance to try something new and to recharge their batteries."

angela.mcmanus@ heraldandtimes.co.uk