World Encephalitis 2026 - 22 Highlights Blog
On the 13th anniversary of World Encephalitis Day, we share our 22 highlights from this year’s campaign.
To our global encephalitis community, media and organisation partners, thank you for making WED 2026 a success.
F.L.A.M.E.S. Ignited!
F.L.A.M.E.S.
A life‑saving awareness initiative — led by our community
F.L.A.M.E.S. – a new symptoms-based acronym aiming to provide an easy-to-remember way of spotting the signs of encephalitis, was the focus of this year’s World Encephalitis Day campaign.
F.L.A.M.E.S reflects the urgent neurological signs that the general public and non-specialist acute medics should be aware of to help recognise encephalitis (inflammation of the brain) earlier.
F.L.A.M.E.S stands for Flu-like Symptoms, Loss of Consciousness, Acute Headache, Memory Problems, Emotional/Behavioural Changes, Seizures. These are the symptoms most commonly found in both infectious and autoimmune causes of encephalitis.
F.L.A.M.E.S. were ignited this World Encephalitis Day but it doesn’t stop there. Our ambition is to see F.L.A.M.E.S displayed in schools, hospitals, GP clinics, and community spaces, helping ensure that fewer families experience the shock, delay, and devastation that encephalitis so often brings. Click below to find out more.
Red Alert! #Red4WED
Our supporters turned to social media, RED-y to make a difference…
From #Red4WED t-shirts to red socks, nails, hair and much more… you turned social media #Red4WED and raised awareness on a monumental scale.
We admired your commitment to the cause, see if you can spot yourself in our official #Red4WED album.
All A(Bill)Board!
Our F.L.A.M.E.S. graphics are being displayed on billboards across the globe throughout February and beyond.
Thank you to Camino Communications who designed all our F.L.A.M.E.S. assets and to the teams at Landsec, JC Decaux, Lamar Advertising, IDS Media and Sports City Advertising for kindly gifting spaces across their advertising boards.
We saw a total of 529 billboards across the Philippines, Qatar, UK and the US share F.L.A.M.E.S. messaging.
Can you ignite our F.L.A.M.E.S. Appeal?
We know lasting change will only happen if awareness spreads beyond a single week — and that is where people like you play such a vital role.
Our ambition is to see F.L.A.M.E.S. displayed in schools, hospitals, GP clinics, and community spaces, helping ensure that fewer families experience the shock, delay, and devastation that encephalitis so often brings. Every 20 seconds, someone, somewhere in the world is diagnosed with encephalitis. The speed of that diagnosis can save — or change — their life.
Our World Encephalitis Day Appeal aims to raise £50,000 by the end of February to help us continue to drive research, provide support and raise awareness through wider dissemination of F.L.A.M.E.S.
BBC Radio 4 Appeal
Actor Jemma Redgrave hosted our BBC Radio 4 Appeal on World Encephalitis Day!
Jemma shared the story of Eleanor, who sadly passed away from this devastating brain condition, aged just 26. Eleanor’s parents hope the BBC Radio 4 Appeal will help raise awareness of the condition and our support services that continue to support people who may be affected personally, have family and friends affected or who have also lost someone to encephalitis.
You can still listen to the appeal – the first £10,000 of donations will be matched pound for pound by a generous long-term supporter. To find out more, and make a donation, visit https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m002rq83
Worldwide WED gatherings
World Encephalitis Day is an opportunity for the global encephalitis community to feel seen and heard.
We welcomed our community at gatherings across landmark/billboard locations, our World Encephalitis Day Alliance Conference in Denver, US and on our virtual WED peer support group.
Celebrities unite to spread F.L.A.M.E.S.
@encephalitisint 🔥 #BrainInFLAMES 🔥 F.L.A.M.E.S. represents a series of common encephalitis symptoms that everyone should know — because earlier recognition can save lives 🧠 This World Encephalitis Day 2026, we’re launching F.L.A.M.E.S. with the support of our incredible community and a powerful group of ambassadors who are helping amplify this vital message. For our #WorldEncephalitisDay 2026 appeal, we sat down with people whose lives have been forever changed by encephalitis — alongside ambassadors using their platforms to help ensure these symptoms are recognised sooner, not missed. 🎥 Featuring our ambassadors: • Abi Burton – Rugby Olympian & Women’s Six Nations winner • Aled Davies – Welsh International Rugby Player • Emma Saunders – Sky Sports Presenter • George Clarke – Influencer & Strictly Come Dancing finalist • Morgan Lake – Olympic high jumper • Rebecca Adlington OBE – Four-time Olympic medallist • Susannah Cahalan – Journalist & Brain on Fire author 📥 Download and share the #FLAMES resources: 👉 www.encephalitis.info/FLAMES ❤️ Support our appeal: Your donation helps us accelerate awareness, save lives, and rebuild futures: 👉https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/worldencephalitisday2026 Think Brain in F.L.A.M.E.S 🔥 Think Encephalitis
#Red4WED hits the slopes!
Skiers at Burke Mountain in Vermont, US hit the slopes to raise awareness.
The torch light parade lit up the slopes #Red4WED following a colleagues diagnosis.
F.L.A.M.E.S. travelling the world
Researchers from Brazil, Canada, Cameroon, Germany, Hungary, South Africa, and the UK pass a candle to each other recognising the impact F.L.A.M.E.S. can have on improving recognition of encephalitis globally!
Sparking F.L.A.M.E.S.: Special Encephalitis Podcast edition
In this episode of The Encephalitis Podcast, our Senior Medical Writer, Praveen Prathapan, is joined by leading neurologist Dr Nicholas Davies to introduce F.L.A.M.E.S.
Hitting the headlines
This year’s PR and media campaign was focussed on the dissemination of F.L.A.M.E.S. in media outlets that will raise both public and healthcare professional awareness of encephalitis.
We have worked with PR and media partners across the globe with coverage in outlets such as the Journal of Neurological Sciences, BBC, The Manila Times, CBS and many more!
Your Stories: Inspiring F.L.A.M.E.S.
F.L.A.M.E.S. is a life-saving initiative inspired by the stories of our community.
Click the video adjacent to hear their stories, or watch each of their individual films, below.
We sat down with:
Diane, who shares her experience of autoimmune encephalitis, click here to watch her story.
Macy, who shares her experience of Anti-NMDAR encephalitis, click here to watch her story.
The Wyeth Family, who share their experience of daughter Izzy’s encephalitis journey, click here to watch their story.
Sarah & Julian, who lost their son, Nicholas, to viral encephalitis, click here to watch their story.
#BrainInFLAMES brought to life!
Alongside our F.L.A.M.E.S. assets we created a short animation for #BrainInFLAMES played on billboards across the world!
Over 1000 people scanned the QR code displayed on a billboard during our WED campaign!
On Screen. On Fire. On a mission!
World Encephalitis Day featured on several tv and media outlets including CBS News, 9 News, ITV and ANC 24/7.
Listen to our CEO, Dr Ava Easton speaking on ANC 24/7 about our F.L.A.M.E.S. campaign.
Fundraisers unite for WED
Across the world many of our lovely community set up #Red4WED themed fundraisers!
From fun runs to sponsored walks, charity dinners and bake sales – thank you to everyone who took on a challenge and supported our appeal.
Influencing change with F.L.A.M.E.S.
This year we targeted a number of healthcare professional social media stars to partner with us and utilise their profiles to share F.LA.M.E.S. Watch Dr Azmain’s video below:
@doctorazmain 🔥🧠 If someone’s brain was on fire… would you know the signs? 🔥 Think brain in FLAMES 🧠 Think encephalitis I’m really proud to be partnering with @Encephalitis International for World Encephalitis Day (22 Feb). Encephalitis is an inflammation of the brain – and it can become life‑threatening fast. According to Encephalitis International, it affects three people every minute globally, yet 77% of people don’t know what it is, leading to delays in diagnosis and poorer outcomes. That’s why the new acronym FLAMES matters. It highlights the urgent symptoms seen in both infectious and autoimmune encephalitis: Flu‑like symptoms, Loss of consciousness, Acute headache, Memory problems, Emotional or behavioural changes, Seizures. Early recognition saves lives – and anyone, anywhere, at any age can be affected. Share FLAMES. Help someone recognise the signs. You could save a life. #WorldEncephalitisDay #Red4WED #BrainInFLAMES #Encephalitis #FLAMES
Dancing into the night!
There were so many amazing #Red4WED activities planned across the world by our encephalitis community.
A special shoutout to our community in Glasgow who organised a #Red4WED line dance at the Buchanan Tower which also lit up #Red4WED.
Check out their moves!
New ambassadors join Team Encephalitis!
We are proud to welcome Morgan Lake and Jemma Redgrave as new ambassadors for Encephalitis International.
Morgan is a Team GB Olympic high jumper, the first British woman to clear 2m in competition. Her father, Eldon, was diagnosed with acute necrotising rhombencephalitis in April 2023. To find out more about Morgan, click here.
Actor, Jemma Redgrave, also joined our ambassador team. An English actress, Jemma is perhaps most recognisable continued role as Kate Lethbridge-Stewart in Doctor Who which is also set to launch a spin off show, The War Between the Land and the Sea in 2026. Jemma is the stepdaughter of one of our Vice Presidents, Kika Markham (Kika Markham | Encephalitis International). Her father (Kika’s husband) Corin Redgrave – a multi-award winning actor himself – sustained a significant brain injury that lead to Kika joining our VP’s to raise awareness of brain injuries and conditions like encephalitis. Since then, Jemma has had a friend and fellow actress affected by autoimmune encephalitis. To find out more about Jemma, click here.
A platform to feel seen & heard: Your words on WED 2026
Thank you to all of our community who have shared what World Encephalitis Day means to them, Below we share one email received on WED 2026.
Dear Encephalitis International Team,
Thank you so much for sharing my World Encephalitis Day Instagram post. It truly means more to me than I can put into words.
As an encephalitis survivor, having my story seen, acknowledged, and amplified by Encephalitis International makes me feel supported, heard, and less alone. What your organization stands for—awareness, education, advocacy, and community—is incredibly powerful, and it has a real impact on people like me who are navigating life after encephalitis.
I am deeply grateful for the voice and platform you provide to survivors and caregivers around the world. The work you do not only spreads awareness, but also gives hope, validation, and strength to so many who need it.
Thank you again for everything you do and for allowing me to be a small part of this important mission.
Making WED possible... Thank you campaign partners!
A big shoutout to our official World Encephalitis Day campaign partners. Their support makes the campaign possible, thank you!
That's a wrap!
On behalf of all the Encephalitis International team, thank you for supporting World Encephalitis Day 2026!
