Think Brain in FLAMES, Think Encephalitis
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.
77% of people have never heard of encephalitis.
We are determined to change this with your support. 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.
We need your help today: download your F.L.A.M.E.S. resources and share these far and wide!
Please note our F.L.A.M.E.S. assets are currently only available in English but we will have translated resources in early 2026, please email us for more details!
Follow and tag our social media accounts!
Join our community to keep up-to-date with the work that we do and the latest encephalitis related news, campaigns, appeals, events and research.
Support Our World Encephalitis Day Appeal
Our World Encephalitis Day Appeal for 2026 is dedicated to amplifying the voices and experiences of people whose lives have been changed by encephalitis.
We sat down with members of our community whose experiences testify to the symptoms of F.L.A.M.E.S. as they bravely share their story in support of raising awareness of this acronym to save lives.
Our WED appeal aims to raise £50,000 and we need your help!
F.L.A.M.E.S. Coming to a billboard near you!
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.
Click the link below to find your nearest billboard – we’d love for you to take a photo or video and share this with us! Get in touch!
Support Services: We're here to help
Encephalitis International provides support to all people affected by encephalitis, their families, caregivers and those professionals involved in their care and support worldwide. Whether you need information about encephalitis, advice about recovery or rehabilitation, signposting to appropriate services or if you simply want to talk to someone who understands this condition, we are here for you.
Get Involved: World Encephalitis Day
World Encephalitis Day takes place on the 22nd February every year. It is the biggest day of the year for people whose lives have been affected by inflammation of the brain. Since its launch in 2014, World Encephalitis Day has reached 225 million people directly in our efforts to grow international awareness of encephalitis.
Click below to find out how you can be involved with the campaign!
