New Gills signing Leon Legge describes his battle with epilepsy
by Jenni Horn
Like most boys, Leon Legge
dreamed of becoming a footballer.
But at 16, he feared his career was
over before if had even started when he was diagnosed with
epilepsy.
The 27-year-old, who has just signed
for Gillingham FC, is the only player in the Football League known
to be affected by epilepsy - a neurological condition that
affects around 450,000 people in the UK.
Leon was diagnosed 11 years ago while
playing for Little Common in the Sussex County League. He suffered
his first seizure during training.
He said: "I remember heading the ball
in the air and, as I came down, I collapsed. I woke up with
paramedics around me and I didn’t know what had happened."
He added: "It was a worry that I
wouldn't be able to play football. It was all I had ever wanted to
do since I was about seven years old."
Leon, an ambassador for the Young
Epilepsy charity, takes medication to control the condition, but
said it does not affect his game.
He added: "I have to eat healthily and
take my medication on time. I don't think about it before a match.
You can't go on to the pitch with doubts."
Full story in tomorrow's Medway Messenger.
10/01/13
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