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Celebrating 15 Years of the Encephalitis Society

It seems only seconds ago that Jon and Tamar were sitting down to put the 15th year Challenge booklet together, encouraging members, their family and friends to complete a fundraising event to honour & celebrate all the work that has been achieved over the past 15 years and to help increase awareness and funds to continue the good work.

The response to this challenge has been amazing! The Events ranged from the purely active and challenging to getting together and partying. So it was not just about raising money, it was also about getting together and having a fun time.

Here are some of the people and events from our Fifteenth Birthday Challenge.

Walk 4 Us - Just Walk

Just Walk is an Annual Event that has been running for 3 years. There are a range of distances from a 10km family amble to a challenging 40km. The walk is very well organised and you can walk for any Charity. This year 22 people joined the walk and walked for the Encephalitis Society.

Just Walk - 10km

Sandra Scott writes “Margaret and I really enjoyed the day, the weather was perfect and the walk through the lovely countryside and villages around Goodwood couldn’t have been nicer, even the legs and knees held out ok”.

“This was the first time I have completed the Just Walk and thought the organisation from the warm up before we left the start, to the comfort stops on route, to the band playing when we returned was great, a very happy emotional atmosphere through out”.

Also taking part in the 10km walk were: Lisa Thomas Gould and her family, Debbie Mumford, Kaye Narine, Helena Ratcliffe, Andrea & Robbie Whitlock, Nimmi Channa & her friends Carmelle Munday, Zaeda Kasmi & Meena Sashore. Nimmi Channa says “We are doing the 10km walk on 9th May 2009 with all funds raised going to the Encephalitis Society. It is the 15th Anniversary of the Society and we want to mark the occasion by doing this walk as a way of saying thank you to the Charity for helping so many people over the years including the team members.”

Just Walk - 20km

Julie wrote “We will be taking part in the Just Walk to complete 20km to help raise funds. For those that know us well, you will already know that walking isn’t something we often do! (Especially Katie!)”

The Encephalitis Society have helped us through difficult times especially when adjusting to the news that Des had Encephalitis approx 10 years ago. Katie was only 3 at the time and found it difficult to understand why her Dad couldn't cope with her making any loud noises. Equally I struggled to care for both Des and Katie. We have both raised funds for the Society before, but wanted to take on a personal challenge for the Society's 15th Birthday in 2009.

Just Walk - 40km

Amy Harden along with Sarah Jones, Kris and Carol Roberts completed the 40km walk. Amy wrote “I hope to raise money for the Encephalitis Society in memory of a good friend. This was and still is devastating for all family and friends”.

Walk 4 Us - Other Walks

Peak District Historic Border Country’s Walking Festival

Margaret Herseewriteswrites “I completed a walk as part of the Peak District Historic Border Country’s Walking Festival - A Longish Walk on the Longest Day. This was a walk of 10.5 miles, exploring the beautiful Linacre and Cordwell Valleys. My daughter was fairly lucky and seemed to achieve a good recovery but we later found that she had learning problems and other difficulties that she still struggles with even now, even though she has finally managed to get a degree. The Encephalitis Society provides an important source of support to her now, and has to myself in the past, as I struggled to obtain the help she needed to access her education.”

Waendal Walk Wellingborough

Bryan Spencerwrites“So that was my challenge for 2009, walking 26 miles around Wellingborough, the town were I grew up in Northamptonshire, having done the first Waendel Walk in 1979. I finished in 6 hours 57 minutes, which was ahead of my expectations.

As a previous sufferer of Encephalitis, I benefitted greatly from early diagnosis and prompt specialist treatment. Others are not always as fortunate. Thanks again to all those who sponsored me, rest assured the distance and terrain ensured it was tough!”

Staff from the Encephalitis Society joined the Challenge Events

Combining Awareness week with our Fifteenth Birthday Challenge events Jon, Alina and Tamar joined Dave Mercer and Tony Short on the London Bridges Walk - Dressed as jigsaw pieces! The London Bridges walk is quite spectacular, starting at the Tate Modern and covering some of London's best known bridges including Waterloo, Blackfriars, Southwark, London and Tower Bridge.

The 7 mile route took in seven bridges and 15 of London’s most famous landmarks – one for each year of the Society’s existence.

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Run 4 Us

Many people have taken part in all different types of running events world wide, some of who are regular runners others had never run before.

Loch Ness Marathon

This is a flat point-to-point route through the historic Highland capital of Inverness, past the Castle and along the banks of the picturesque River Ness. Ross McDonald was there 4 us.

Half marathon at the Eden Project

Matthew Mitchell was there 4 Us. He writes “The Half Marathon features a multi-terrain course through Eden and around varied countryside and mining areas, highlighting the use, rejuvenation and regeneration of the local environment. I am raising money for Encephalitis Research. In April 1999 my 18 year old brother died from Encephalitis. He was healthy and fit until Encephalitis struck in January 1999 four months later he sadly died at home. My family and I raise money so that research can continue into this disease so that others don’t have to suffer like we do every day.”

Chicago Marathon

Peter Vassallo was there 4 Us. Peter writes “I am running in the Chicago Marathon for the second time, but this time hope to finish (last year the race was cancelled due to unseasonably warm weather) I’m doing it mostly as a response to my mid life crisis (of course I am still young enough to do this) but also because my wife said she’d stop hounding me about my drinking if I did do it. Seven years ago my dad was struck down with Encephalitis and he is now paralysed. In some way he was lucky as encephalitis can often result in death.”

Lake Vyrnwy ½ Marathon

Tim Arrowsmith was there 4 Us and completed it in 1hr 36mins

Bath Half Marathon

Christopher Dyke writes “I ran in the Bath Half Marathon to raise money for The Encephalitis Society and in memory of my brother Daryl. Being an 18 stone man at Christmas the challenge of training and completing such a mammoth task seemed almost impossible. However, remembering my brothers determination to live in his last few days and the massive support the Encephalitis Society charity gave our family after Daryl’s death not only did I decide to compete but also try and break the magic 2hr time barrier.

The race started and off we all went. Slow and steady was my plan, as the blistering heat continued to increase. Over 16,000 runners began that day but due to the weather conditions a number of good runners got caught out. Im pleased to say however that I was not one of them. I wont lie, there was a number of times through the race that I felt like just quitting (especially the last hill) but with the thought of your charity in mind and Daryl whispering in my ear I powered on. I completed the race with a sprint fi nish and in time of 1hr 59min.

Paris Marathon

Nigel Field was there 4 Us.

He writes “For anybody who is contemplating running a marathon, do it!! I have only completed 3 marathons so I am far from an experienced athlete but a few years ago I was watching the London marathon and saw a man of over 90years old complete it... I thought if he can do it so can I.

My best piece of advice I would give to any potential marathon runners is to train, train, train !!! You will enjoy the day so much more if you feel confi dent that you have completed a structured training plan. During the months leading up to the race your body will take a pounding but with the correct running shoes and diet you will make it.

The day arrives and the butterfl ies also. Along the entire route the crowds will encourage and cheer you on. The feeling you get from that will give you that extra lift to get you across the fi nish line. Once you cross the fi nish line you get a huge feeling of satisfaction and relief that you made it and you don’t have to do any more training!!! Also you get the medal. The next few days you will walk in a peculiar way, so I do recommend booking up a massage ASAP after race. To complete a marathon you do not need to be super human just have determination and motivation... In the words of a well known sports brand... just do it!”

London Marathon

Laura Devine writes “I completed the Marathon in 3hours 29mins and 41secs, just under my target time. The last few miles were a killer and seeing Maria at mile 24 and Chris at mile 25 gave me that wee lift to get me through.” Brian Buttler, Simon Currier & Alex Thomas were also there 4 US.

Potters Arf Marathon

Phil Press was there 4 Us.

He writes “I decided to raise money for the Encephalitis Society as my best man at my wedding suffered from it. The course is quite a tough one as there are many big hills and not too many downbanks. It is held in Stoke on Trent and starts and fi nishes in the main City Centre in Hanley. I completed the course this year in 2 hours 17 minutes. You mentioned about tickets for the 15th Birthday Bash in London, I was wondering if I could let my best man and his wife have them as I think he would fi nd it a great support as there will be people who know about his condition there.”

British 10k

William Fenwick, Andrew Hewitson, Richard Dyke, Neil Hustler, Tim Bond and Nick Wheeler were there 4 Us.

Tim writes “Just to let you know and I completed the run in 57 minutes 50 seconds. We would have done better, however I got up in the night and stubbed my toe on the corner of the hotel bed, ripping off half the toe nail, it was pretty painful and slowed me down a tad!! We passed and had a very short-of-breath chat with 3 other Enceph runners. I hoped we might get a photo at the end of all the Enceph runners but unfortunately we were unable to locate them at the end of the run.”

Bupa London 10,000

Tim Bond, Nick Wheeler & Adrienne Michael Ives were there 4 Us.

5K London Run

Debbie May and Helen Rostronwere there 4 Us. Debbie wrote: “The run took place in Regents Park, London. The weather was perfect, in fact and ideal day, with people running for their various charities, which meant something to them. I had Encephalitis 3 years ago, with help of the Society it enabled me to get through some of the bad days. As I was running for a charity it was the best way to say thank you”.

BUPA Manchester 10k

Graham Niven was there 4 Us. He writes “Hi everyone, This will be the 5th time I am taking part despite the fact that I said I wouldn’t do it again. I am!

I have set myself a time of under 45 minutes - my times over the last 5 years have been 53 min, 51 min, 48 min and 47 min - so I have foolishly decided that despite advancing years I somehow should get better every year.

I am raising money for the Encephalitis Society - this is the support group that have been brilliant for Sandra since she had Encephalitis 11 years ago. They get no government funding and so are dependent on donations, legacies etc.”.

Team Seve were also there 4 Us.

Rhiann writes “When my sister first came to me with the idea of completing the Great Manchester Run, I laughed. We were not runners. However, the daunting prospect passed when I reminded myself about why we would be doing it. Our lovely dad, Steve, was diagnosed with Encephalitis just over a year ago, and through what was a very scary and confusing time, the Encephalitis Society had been a constant source of support, answering our questions and helping us understand this little-known illness.

My sister and I thought that if we could raise some money for the Society through doing the 10K run that we could show our gratitude, raise awareness, and hopefully make our Dad proud.

After months of training and some injuries, we made it to the 17th May and found ourselves at the starting line. "Team Seve" overcame the nerves and the aches and pains, and we all completed the race within 1 hour 15 minutes. We were proud to have the Encephalitis vests on that day, and also that the whole team had managed to spread the word through our fundraising. Thankfully, Dad is on the way to full recovery and although it does take time, we are patient.

I'd just like to say thank you to my sister who got me round the course, and came up with the whole idea, the team at the society, and a HUGE thank you to all of "Team Seve", the runners Laura, David, Nigel, Rachel and Andrew, and of course our supporters on the day. Anyone for the London marathon?"

Great Bell Scottish Run

Paul Woolfries and Elaine were there 4 Us.

Great North Run

The Bupa Great North Run is the premier event in the Great Run series and is firmly established as the world’s most popular half-marathon. The run was devised by former Olympic 10,000m bronze medallist and BBC sports commentator Brendan Foster after he had run the Round the Bays race in New Zealand in 1979. The very first Great North Run, advertised at the time as a local fun run, took place on June 28 1981 and attracted some 12,000 runners. The Great North Run has become a hugely popular event for ordinary people. An incredible 47,000 were taking part by 2003 while the 2008 event attracted a record field of 52,000. Runners come from all over the world to experience this iconic event.

Ian Fraser Lee & Emma Drysdale, Mr A South Farm & his sister, James Burke, Richard Dyke, Denise & Adrian Southern and Abigail Dalzell were all there 4 Us.

Abigail writes “While the Great North Run is on my doorstep I feel inspired to have a go and so entered through the general ballot- I understand it's rare to get a place this way and so feel very fortunate! I am running on 20th September 2009 for the Encephalitis Society in memory of a close friend who was struck down suddenly by this awful disease. The charity promotes both support of sufferers and their families and research into Encephalitis and my participation in the Run is important to me as I feel strongly that I want to do what I can to help with this, both in memory of my wonderful friend and for others.”

Leigh on Sea 10k run

Elliot Goldenburg was there 4 Us. he wrote: “I would like to raise some money for a charity. A lot of you may not be aware of Encephalitis. It is inflammation of the brain and can affect people at any age, and has a high mortality rate. It is closely linked with Meningitis and in some cases, one can lead to the other. As some of you may be aware, I suffered from a combination of both illness' (known as meningoencephalitis) a little over 15 years ago, when I was hospitalised for a significant period, losing both my mobility and sight. Since my recovery, life has changed a lot (for the better!) and I am really pleased to be able to do my bit for this charity."

Great South Run

The run is a 10 mile course through the streets of Portsmouth. The course is almost flat, with minimal slopes around the course, helping make fast times achievable. Ben Smithson was there 4 US in 2008 and Ruth and Tim Smithson were there 4 US in 2009.

Royal Parks Half Marathon

Tim Bond, Nick Wheeler and Adrienne Michael–Ives were there 4 Us. Adrienne writes “13.1 miles very ENJOYABLE, great route, fabulous support from the crowds and a WOODEN MEDAL !! l think this was my favourite event and was also the very same venue where l took part in my first 5km race”

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Active 4 Us

Tandem Skydive

Jess Pegram skydived 4 Us.

She wrote: “On the 10th of January 2009 I did a Tandem Skydive for the very first time. This was to raise money for the Encephalitis Society. I jumped from 15,000 feet which included a free fall of 10,000 feet in one minute. I was so thrilled when I finally managed to jump in weather that was appropriate as I had been waiting for four months for good weather to land on the same day as me.

12 years ago my mother contracted Encephalitis and was very poorly. We had huge support from yourselves during some very worrying months.”

Coast to Coast Bike ride

Derek Mahoney and his friends rode 4 Us. Katherine Mahoney wrote: “They completed it in 14 hours over a weekend so I think they did really well. Derek raised sponsorship from family, friends, and work colleagues, they were aware of Encephalitis when my mum fell ill last September with Herpes Simplex Encephalitis. This was a terrible time for the family but the Encephalitis Society helped enormously by providing advice and information when there was no one else to help us. I hope this helps towards your challenge”.

Dan Kendall also took part in a coast to coast bike ride.

Tony, Dans father writes “Dan chose the Encephalitis Society as the charity he wanted to support as I was diagnosed in August 2007 with a rare form of Voltage- gated potassium channel antibody – associated limbic encephalitis. This illness has not only had a profound affect on me but also my family, turning everyone’s world upside down. At the time of diagnosis when the doctors could tell us little about the illness, what to expect or even an outcome, it was the Encephalitis Society where my family turned, to find out more information. It just so happened that the spring 07 newsletter carried an article about Limbic Encephalitis which provided an invaluable source of information for explaining to people what was wrong with me.”

Bike Ride

Peter Pas has taken part in the L’Etap du Tour. Peter writes “Every year, the organisers of the Tour de France open one stage to around 10,000 amateurs. This year it was the penultimate stage – 170 km from Montelimar to Mont Ventoux, with the last 22km a gruelling climb to the top of the Giant Provence. This is my biggest cycling challenge yet, to raise money for the Encephalitis Society.”

Sponsored Swim

Jane Talbot took part in the Great North Swim in September. Jane swam one mile in open water on Lake Windermere in 47mins. Jane said “it was brilliant I thoroughly enjoyed it.”

Christmas Morning Swims

Richard Dyke with family and friends swam 4 Us at Porthcowl in memory of Darryl Dyke.

Leonard Mcrobbie also swam for us. His wife Maria wrote “my husband Lennie does a morning walk along Aberdeen beach, along with his friend that lives close to the beach. Whilst they were walking they noticed people taking part in a Christmas morning swim. Lennie decided at this point he would have a dip and his friend who is an elderly man but keeps fit by having his daily walks gave Lennie money for taking part and we decided to send it to the Society. We told family and friends what Lennie had done and they sponsored him to.”

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Party 4 Us

70’s & 80’s Fancy Dress Charity Night

Alison Meehan organised this party 4 Us in memory of Andrew Swift.

Name Label Party

Clare Rytina organised this 4 Us.

Claire wrote: “I party'd for the society and it was great! My Wear a Name Label party went really well and there was a lot of interest in the society and my family and friends were very appreciative of all your work and very generous to the funds. It was very special for me too, even though prosopagnosia s a condition that results in an inability to recognise people by their faces) and parties don't go together too well, this way made all the difference, not just for me but for my visitors as well! It gave them confidence and encouragement to start talking to each other, even though I was their only connection, and they'd all heard of each other and chatted the night away happily. Many of them said that all parties should be like this one!”

Charity Party and Auction

Cath Agnew organised this 4 Us.

Martin Mcleish writes “Cath’s Society 15th Birthday Party took the form of a Promise Auction and was held in a wonderful venue at The Country Park Inn on Hessle Foreshore, right underneath the Humber Bridge. Author Gervase Phinn gave a very humorous opening talk, based on his hilarious experiences as a school inspector before a nice buffet supper, complete with chips – we were, after all in Yorkshire! The event proceeded after supper with an auction of promises from many local businesses and citizens. There was also a tombola and raffle. Cath should be very proud of her most successful party, arranged 4 us. Much of the work was done by Cath, herself, including the lovely Encephalitis Society Birthday Party posters.”

More Parties

Jill Langdown held a Garden Party, Louise Read held a Pampered Chef Party & Raffle and Mandy Bullen held an Awareness Party.

Fun Day

Elaine Reyland organised a family fun day at the Ring O’Bells pub. The Landlady Pat Andrews said there was face painting, nail art, temporary tattoos, bouncy castles, and a childrens play area. For the adults there were stalls, a hog roast, bar raffle and a silent auction. We were really busy, there have been about 400 people. Everyone had a great time it’s been a huge success. We do this every year but this one has been one of the best yet.