Our Ambassadors

Our Ambassadors have a personal connection to encephalitis and use their voice and visibility to raise awareness of the condition and the work the Encephalitis Society.

Alecia Emerson-Thomas

Alecia is a former police officer, media risk personality and security risk consultant whose son fell ill with encephalitis as a three year-old Read more

Aliki Chrysochou

Soprano singer Aliki inspired us with her amazing recovery from encephalitis and her journey to the semi-finals of Britain's Got Talent Read more

Charlotte Leeming

Charlotte is a presenter and reporter with BBC Look North whose daughter was affected by encephalitis Read more

Mathew Bose

Actor Mathew became an Ambassador in 2007 after a close friend of his was affected by Herpes Simplex Encephalitis. Read more

Rebecca Adlington

Rebecca came to prominence at the Beijing Olympics when she won two gold medals in the swimming pool and later became an Ambassador as her sister, Laura, fell ill with encephalitis in 2005 Read more

Simon Hattenstone

Simon is a Features Writer with The Guardian newspaper and who has authored a book about his personal experiences of encephalitis as a boy Read more

Susannah Cahalan

Susannah is a New York journalist and the best-selling author of Brain on Fire which recounts her battle with Anti-NMDA Receptor Encephalitis Read more

Tonia Buxton

Tonia is a presenter, author, columnist, foodie and beauty expert who was introduced to the Encephalitis Society by her friends, Rebecca Adlington and Mathew Bose. Read more

Latest

Investigating how families cope with the social and emotional impacts of a diagnosis of encephalitis: An Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis
Book your place - Encephalitis 2021

Book your place at Encephalitis 2021 - our annual conference for health professionals with an interest in encephalitis
Encephalitis 2021

Encephalitis 2021 will take place on 7th December, in London. Our conference is dedicated exclusively to encephalitis and covers epidemiology, pathogenesis, diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation in both children and adults.
Bavarian Nordic

NMDAR antibody encephalitis

NMDAR antibody encephalitis is an autoimmune disease that causes psychiatric features, confusion, memory loss and seizures followed by a movement disorder, loss of consciousness and changes in blood pressure, heart rate and temperature.
Herpes Simplex virus encephalitis

Herpes simplex encephalitis is a type of infectious encephalitis which happens when herpes simplex virus (HSV) enters the brain. Usually, it begins with ‘flu-like’ symptoms followed by neurological deterioration, which may include personality and behavioural changes, seizures, weakness and difficulties in communication.
What is encephalitis?

Encephalitis is an inflammation of the brain caused by an infection or through the immune system attacking the brain in error.
West Nile encephalitis

West Nile encephalitis is a type of infectious encephalitis caused by West Nile virus. People usually become infected after being bitten by a mosquito, which has fed on an infected bird.
Guidelines for recovery

No two people with encephalitis have the same outcomes. People recover at different paces. Recovery can be helped by having lots of rest, good nutrition, helpful social network and support from professionals.
Limbic encephalitis

The term ‘limbic encephalitis’ (LE) describes the condition when limbic areas of the brain are inflamed (swollen) and consequently not functioning properly. Most forms of LE fall into two main categories: infectious encephalitis and autoimmune encephalitis.
Japanese encephalitis

Japanese encephalitis is an infectious encephalitis caused by Japanese encephalitis virus transmitted by mosquitoes, called ‘Culex’ mosquitoes.
Hashimoto's encephalopathy

Hashimoto's encephalopathy is a rare condition, which is probably of autoimmune origin. The concept of HE is becoming fragmented into a number of other types of autoimmune encephalitis which appear to have their own autoantibodies, prognosis and associated features.
Death from encephalitis

Encephalitis is a serious neurological condition and unfortunately, despite improvements in specific and more supportive treatments such as excellent intensive care management, encephalitis still has a high mortality (death) rate.
Measles infection and encephalitis

Measles causes encephalitis in children with measles infection. Measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine is a very effective way to prevent against these diseases.