A FAMILY have raised more than £120,000 to help people with epilepsy following the death of their daughter.

Newcastle University clerical officer Katy Doyle, from Chester-le-Street, died five years ago aged 24 of Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy (SUDEP).

Since then parents Ian and Helen and her brother Stewart have raised money for the charity Epilepsy Action in her memory.

Their efforts will lead to two new Sapphire nurses being employed who specialise in epilepsy and can help people with the condition adapt their lifestyles to take account of the illness.

One will be based in County Durham and the other in North Tyneside.

Katy, who lived in Park Road North, only had epilepsy for 18 months and had been perfectly healthy beforehand.

Mr Doyle said: “Nobody ever told us that there are up to 1,000 people a year who die of epilepsy.

“It is often people in their late teens, early 20s, who suffer, like Katy did, but nobody ever tells you .

“A lot of it is to do with lifestyle. Sapphire nurses should normally see people diagnosed with epilepsy and talk them through lifestyle and things like that.

“Katy never saw one of those. I am not saying it would have saved her life but it could have given her one or two different options we weren’t aware of at the time.

“The nurses are being directly funded by Epilepsy Action as a result of out fund-raising so Helen and I feel that at least there is a legacy in memory of Katy.”

On Thursday, October 2, the popular Jump, Rhythm and Blues and Rock and Roll, The Revolutionaires, will perform a special fund-raising show at Durham’s Gala Theatre.

The four-piece band’s mainstays, Ed and Rich Stephenson, from Coxhoe, are Katy’s cousins. The band’s popularity has grown over the years and it is now in demand for festivals on the continent

The group’s usual four-piece line-up will be augmented by a keyboard player and two additional brass players for the Gala show.

The family are hoping to sell-out the 500-seat venue – about 400 have been sold so far - to raise more money for the charity and raise its profile.

“It is a mix of Katy’s great loves - music and her family,’’ said Mr Doyle.

The show will start at 7.45pm and tickets cost £10 from the theatre box office on 0191-332 4041 and online at www.galatheatre.co.uk