Main content

I can't make long-term memories

Hum Fleming has temporal lobe epilepsy and a side effect is that her memories mostly fade after six months.

When British woman Hum Fleming was 13 she had her first epileptic seizure. It took a while to work out that she has temporal lobe epilepsy, and that the seizures had left a scar on her hippocampus - part of the brain that's involved in forming new memories and storing them longer term. This means that most of her memories fade after around six months. Hum hid her condition for years because she was afraid of people's reactions but started talking about it recently to try to raise awareness of epilepsy.

In the suburbs of Rome in Italy there's a rundown council estate called Corviale. It went from being one of the country's most ambitious architectural projects to an infamous mega-complex run by drug dealers and gangs. Right in the middle of it, there's a football pitch where a father and daughter, Massimo and Chiara Vallati, are trying to change things. Outlook's Alessia Cerantola has been to meet them.

Elli H Radinger used to be a divorce lawyer in Germany but she quit her job to pursue a love affair with wolves. From being kissed by a wolf to becoming one of the country鈥檚 best-known wolf experts, she鈥檚 dedicated her life to studying the creatures.

Image: Hum Fleming
Credit: David M. Benett/Getty Images

Available now

53 minutes

Last on

Wed 15 May 2019 03:06GMT

Broadcasts

  • Tue 14 May 2019 11:06GMT
  • Tue 14 May 2019 15:06GMT
  • Tue 14 May 2019 17:06GMT
  • Tue 14 May 2019 20:06GMT
  • Wed 15 May 2019 02:06GMT
  • Wed 15 May 2019 03:06GMT

Contact Outlook

Contact Outlook

Info on how we might use your contribution on air

Podcast: Lives Less Ordinary

Podcast: Lives Less Ordinary

Step into someone else鈥檚 life and expect the unexpected