INSPIRATIONAL brain tumour survivor, Jay Lynchehaun, has posted a video of himself having a seizure online to raise awareness of brain tumours and epilepsy.

The 27-year-old was first diagnosed with a brain tumour in October 2011 and has developed epilepsy as a side effect.

Jay, who lives in Read, said: “I wanted to post it because I think there is a mixed understanding of what epilepsy actually is and what seizures look like.

“There’s a tendency for people to think that an epileptic fit is always someone writhing around on the floor unconcious and that’s not what happens to everyone.”

The video, posted on facebook on Wednesday evening, showed Jay battling with speech and struggling to catch his breath.

A comment from Jay’s father read: “Dear God, Son. I wish I could do this in your place. Parents are supposed to inspire their kids - not the other way round.”

Jay is classed as a ‘survivor’, as only 36 per cent of people diagnosed with a brain tumour survive for more than a year after diagnosis, but his illness is terminal.

In January this year, Jay launched the charity, Inbetweenears, to raise money for young people suffering with brain tumours.

“I went to different support groups when I was first diagnosed but they were always coffee mornings and things like that.

“They didn’t engage me as a younger person and I just wanted to set something up to let tumour sufferers have fun.”

Since launching in January, the charity has raised £15,000 which has been split between families of young people with brain tumours and Brain Tumour North West, a research alliance between Uclan and Preston Royal Hospital.

Sharon Hacking, Jay’s mother, said: “Every time Jay posts something personal to his struggle on the internet, it gets a really good response.

“He told me that he was going to put the video on and I didn’t know what to say.

“My sister couldn’t watch it at all. She’s a health visitor and it’s not like she doesn’t see these things regularly but when it’s someone you love and you know what they’re going through, it’s different.

“I understand why he wants to do it though and I know that it means a lot to people.

“Everyone has left such lovely comments and have said that they think what Jay is doing is inspirational.”

Jay said: “I was really worried about uploading it, to be honest. It’s something so personal and I just didn’t know which way it would go.

“It was amazing to read so many positive comments and hopefully, it will help people understand the side effects of a brain tumour and more about epilepsy.”