Kate Wareham on learning to swim with epilepsy

This episode was published on March 26 to coincide with Epilepsy Awareness Day (#PurpleDay).

Kate Wareham is a Wellington pool and open water swimmer, the CEO of Volunteer Service Abroad (VSA), and last year she was diagnosed with epilepsy, a neurological condition that can cause recurring, unprovoked seizures.

Kate experienced her first seizure in 2025 while in Italy on holiday with her family, a day or two after completing a lake swim event. Since her diagnosis she has been learning to navigate life as a swimmer with epilepsy, a condition that affects about 1% of the world’s population.

In this episode Kate shares her experience of having a seizure while overseas, the life changes that have come with her diagnosis, how others have supported her at the pool and in the sea, and how she manages swimming with epilepsy.

Visit ⁠Epilepsy NZ⁠ to learn more.

Health and safety notes: Every swimmer is different and every person with epilepsy is different, so talk to your medical health professional for advice on exercising safely after a diagnosis. If you have epilepsy, don’t swim alone and tell someone (e.g. pool lifeguards) that you have epilepsy. If a swimmer experiences a seizure, get them out of the water and cushion their head, but don’t attempt to restrain them.

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Jono Ridler is swimming down the east coast of the North Island (1600km over 90 days) to end bottom trawling in NZ – find out more at ⁠swim4theocean.com⁠ and sign the petition.

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