We are incredibly proud to celebrate Uniform Public Services student, Alex, who has recently starred in the BAFTA-winning film, I Swear, a powerful project raising awareness of Tourette’s Syndrome.
Alex, who has Tourette’s, took a leap of faith after seeing an open casting call through the amazing charity Tourette's Action, and what started as “a bit of fun” turned into an unforgettable experience. Alex several days filming and working with a range of talented individuals, including John Davidson, whose story the film tells.
Alex said:
"I found out about the film through an amazing charity called Tourette's Action, who posted an open casting call for young people with Tourette's. I just thought I'd give it a go because it'll be a bit of fun. I did a couple of auditions and found out that I got a part.
“We did two or three days of full filming, it was an amazing experience and I really enjoyed it. I got to meet absolutely amazing people, including John Davidson, who the film is about.
“Being part of the experience has definitely made me want to advocate more for Tourette's and keep educating people. I think there's still a lot that people need to know.
“When my tics first got bad, I was very embarrassed around them. Now I'm in the mindset of, there's no point in being embarrassed about it. People are going to see me ticking, so I may as well use it as an opportunity to educate people about Tourette's.
“Watching it in cinema for the first time and seeing myself on the big screen was so surreal. I didn't expect the film to be as big as it was, so it was quite a surprise when everyone was talking about it. A lot of staff and other students have recognised me from the film, which has been funny.”
It's an experience that I'll remember forever."
To find out more about Tourette's Syndrome, please visit: https://www.tourettes-action.org.uk/
