Positive benefits of social media as concert goer reunited with 'special' glasses lost at gig
21-year-old Molly Hickey was diagnosed with Functional Neurological Disorder two years ago after they 'randomly' began having seizures.
The condition is different for everybody, with Molly revealing they suffer with seizures brought on from stress and flashing lights predominantly. 21-year-old Molly Hickey was diagnosed with Functional Neurological Disorder two years ago after they 'randomly' began having seizures. Pic: Supplied
An avid concert-goer, Molly told Extra.ie that the diagnosis impacted how they attended gigs as well as events and conferences.
For events and conferences, they noted that here is no awareness surrounded flash photography being dangerous for some people.
'Any time I go to conferences they're like, 'Oh, that's something I never thought about before!' They added that they have also brought it up with cinemas, after having a seizure in one where no flash warnings were provided. @mollyhickey5 PLEASE HELP ME FIND THEM (they are really expensive and so needed for me ) #charlixcx #malahide #dublin #seizures #concert @Malahide Castle & Gardens ♬ party 4 u – ㅤ
Fortunately, Molly was advised by doctors that a special set of glasses could help prevent seizures at gigs and earlier in the year, with the help from their University, they managed to get pairs of the TheraSpecs Z-Blue glasses.
'You can get them in different lenses to fit you completely,' Molly explained, 'They're done to completely fit your eyes. I had two pairs, one was for really dark and one was for light, so during the day.
'Obviously, my dark ones do gigs. They're really expensive because they're not made in Ireland.'
The glasses are made in America, with Molly explaining that ordering them online is both difficult and expensive. A young person who attended Charli XCX at Malahide during the week is appealing to concertgoers for the safe return of a pair of 'special' glasses that prevent their seizures. Pic:The special glasses allowed Molly to attend a string of gigs in recent months, with the 21-year-old reporting that they didn't suffer with any seizures.
'Obviously, at gigs there more at risk of falling off,' they said, adding that the glasses fell off their head during the last song at the Charli XCX gig on Tuesday night.
The glasses were nowhere to be seen, with Molly and their friends spending half an hour after the gig searching the area to no avail. The special glasses allowed Molly to attend a string of gigs in recent months, with the 21-year-old reporting that they didn't suffer with any seizures. Pic: Supplied
'I genuinely don't think it was malicious,' they told Extra.ie, later following up to confirm that following an appeal on TikTok, a concert attendee had contacted Molly to say they ahd the glasses.
'I honestly didn't think this would happen, I'm so grateful,' Molly shared, as they touched on the positive power social media can have.
The glasses have been a great benefit to Molly in recent months, with the youngster revealing that their protocol if they suffer seizures is to be turned on their side, and wait for a friend or medic to be called.
'I would never go into a space where no one knows,' they said, 'I do feel it coming along so I'll usually have a minute — I'll find somewhere there's not many people and then a friend will call a medic if needed.'
Responding to criticism, they shouldn't go to events due to scaring people, Molly admitted that when they started getting seizures they did stay at home but was spurred on to get out more when they spoke to someone in a similar situation.
'I think just realising this isn't going to change for me. It's not like epilepsy, there's no medication,' they shared.
'For me, it was either I could spend my whole life really scared of scaring people or step outside the door and spread awareness about it, talk about it and have conversations that would also help other people in the future that have my condition.'
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