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Illustration of two scientists and a human brain

My Brain & Medicine, Sweden

Please note this is a FREE in-person event only for patients diagnosed with encephalitis, their family members and caregivers. Venue: Elite Hotel Carolina Tower, Eugeniavägen 6, 171 64, Stockholm, Sweden  Room: Wilhelm Röntgen Hall Date:  Monday 26 January 2026 – 12.30 – 18.30hrs (CEST) Most of this event will be presented in Swedish and the […]

26 January 2026
Sweden
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World Encephalitis Day Alliance Conference Empowering Hope 2026

Please note that this event is an in person event taking place in Denver, United States Overview Join the World Encephalitis Day Alliance for a day of hope, empowerment, and unity at the World Encephalitis Day Alliance Conference 2026 – you won’t want to miss it! Welcome to the World Encephalitis Day Alliance Conference, Empowering […]

20 - 22 February 2026
Embassy Suites by Hilton Denver International Airport
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Images of Edinburgh Marathon Festival participants and logo.

Edinburgh Marathon Festival

The Edinburgh Marathon Festival offers a varied programme of events across the weekend, with kids races, 5km, 10km, half marathon and full marathon, including the Hairy Haggis Team Relay option for 4 runners.

23 - 24 May 2026
Edinburgh, UK
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Full Story Archive

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Anti-NMDAR Encephalitis Lived Experience - Tom's Story

May of 2022 I once again got COVID-19 but this time was mild, or so I thought. Slowly my fatigue got much worse and my speech started to be hard. Processing was becoming harder and I was having headaches and crazy nightmares that I would wake up sweating, confused and scared. I was attending speech therapy and was a regular at my primary and neurologist. Everyone close to me could see me getting worse.

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Autoimmune Encephalitis Lived Experience - Bianca's Story

Out of fear, I wrote a letter to my daughter, who was almost 6 years old at the time. I wrote down everything she needs to know in order to be able to grow up self-loving and self-confident, in case I can't always be with her. My letter became a children's book. I have completely turned my life upside down. My everyday life is no longer the same (I often rest, divide the week differently and strengthen children in daycare centers and elementary schools.

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Anti-NMDAR Encephalitis Lived Experience - Tahla's Story

Tahla had autoimmune, Anti-NMDAR antibody encephalitis when she was 15. She spent 6 months in hospital, losing her ability to walk, talk, eat, drink, as well as experiencing psychosis and aggression.

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HSV Encephalitis Live Experience - Amanda's Story

The first couple of months at home were a period of extreme tiredness and I slept many hours at night and also had a great deal of rest time during the day. One of the difficulties besides memory was my loss of language, even English. I have learned many words again but have not been brave enough to start my foreign language classes. The difficulty speaking was obvious when I was taken down to visit my colleagues at my workplace. I found it very difficult to speak clearly and remember many everyday spoken words.

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HSV Encephalitis Lived Experience - Chris' Story

I was rushed into hospital in May 2021 after losing consciousness and spent 2 days in intensive care. The hospital struggled to identify the problem, misdiagnosing my condition twice. I was eventually diagnosed with HSV encephalitis on day 10 of my admission. Following treatment I was discharged after 5 weeks with limited knowledge of what had happened to me or what to expect and almost no support. It’s been a long and often traumatic 3 years since. However, I am now pleased to say that I have made a good recovery and have minimal physical residual symptoms.

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Meningoencephalitis Lived Experience - Amy's Story

The following weeks were a blur for me and were incredibly stressful for my family and my husband as doctors struggled to put a label on what was happening to me. Various diagnoses were ruled out and meningoencephalitis was eventually established. Eventually a specialist MRI interpretation diagnosed listeriosis and it was suggested that having a low immune system postpartum may have contributed to the severity of my illness. During this time I was in and out of consciousness, I suffered tremors, headaches, hallucinations and incredibly vivid dreams.

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HSV Encephalitis Lived Experience - Daniel's Story

Although I was very young and don’t remember actually having encephalitis, having navigated through life for 31 years following it, I know I have had it. It is a part of me. It’s with me wherever I go, but it doesn’t define me or who I am. I consider myself, unique. I have always been “different” from others. Always outlandish, always the first to speak and last to stop. As a survivor, I use the term survivor loosely because frankly, no one survives encephalitis as the after-effects never go away, but, as someone who has, through trial and error, through embarrassment, through humiliation, through anger and unadulterated hatred learned to live, cope and succumb to the effects of encephalitis, I am proud not only of my achievements, not only for having some incredible people in my life, but proud to have been able to be simply, me.

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Acute Disseminated Encephalomyelitis (ADEM) Lived Experience - Ella's Story

My mum took me up to the hospital where they put me on a drip assuming it was just a really nasty bug, but I wasn’t getting better. Eventually, the doctors were able to diagnose me with autoimmune meningitis. I was flown in the royal flying doctors from my small town to Perth where I was admitted to a Children’s Hospital. I had a lumber puncture - which is a needle in your spine that draws fluid out that gets sent off for testing, and I was then diagnosed with Encephalitis. Encephalitis is inflammation of the brain and spinal cord.

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Autoimmune Encephalitis Lived Experience - Ana and Jesus' Story

I have been a volunteer with Encephalitis International ever since, sharing our story and information about encephalitis whenever I have the opportunity. By sharing our story at the My Brain : My Story : My Family conference, I hope to help others feel as understood and reassured as I did two years ago, when I first discovered Encephalitis International.

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Steven's encephalitis story

Unknown Encephalitis Lived Experience - Steven's story of his mum

My journey took an unexpected turn when encephalitis struck my family, taking away my beloved mum. It was a devastating blow that changed my life in ways I never could have imagined. At the same time, I was learning my craft as a teacher, trying to support my students and navigate the complexities of the classroom, all while the world was in the grip of the Covid-19 pandemic.

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Seronegative Autoimmune Encephalitis Lived Experience — Matt's Story

Those two weeks were a blur I know only through stories from my family and doctors. I was tested for serious illnesses like EEE, West Nile, and Zika, all of which came back negative. Then things got even more frightening—I began losing vision and experiencing double vision, though I don’t remember this myself. My body was scanned for cancer, but thankfully, that came back clear too.

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Julian shares his experience of viral encephalitis

Viral Encephalitis Lived Experience — Julian's Story

During the following 2 weeks, the doctors had spirited debates about the nature of my illness. At first, it was whether I had brain leukaemia or viral encephalitis. Then, when the evidence ruled out leukaemia, it was which type of viral encephalitis; they never found out, with all the tests coming back inconclusive. All the same, there were no known treatments for most types of viral encephalitis. I was given herpes antivirals as a Hail Mary. All anyone could do was wait and see. My body and my brain were the deciding factors now.

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Kellie and her daughter, Arwen, who was diagnosed with autoimmune encephaltis

Autoimmune Encephalitis Lived Experience — Kellie's Story

In late December 2022, Kellie's world was turned upside down when Arwen became seriously unwell. She was diagnosed in early January 2023 with Autoimmune Encephalitis, and thanks to the quick thinking of her paediatrician, she was transferred to a specialist hospital for the correct treatment.

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VZV Encephalitis Lived Experience — Tim H's Story

Tim, a father of two young children, felt like he was suffering from flu after a short holiday with his family. He began to feel worse and started to hallucinate. The doctors diagnosed him VZV encephalitis. Here he shares his story.

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Viral Encephalitis Lived Experience — Graham and Sandra's story

During the My Brain: My Story event at the Liverpool Medical Institution, Graham delivers a presentation on the effects of viral encephalitis on him and his wife Sandra 22 years ago and how their family continue to manage its outcomes together.

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Autoimmune Encephalitis Lived Experience — Diane's Story

Diane had autoimmune encephalitis in 2018, she was 15; during the following months she was in a semi-coma state where she couldn’t talk, walk, eat or see due to complete vision loss from high intracranial pressure.

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Lived Experience of Encephalitis — Eduarda's Story

"After the three days I only got worse, so my mum took me to the hospital again. She later told me that on the way to the hospital I started saying things that didn’t make sense. I asked her several times where we were going and why. Within one hour of arriving at hospital, I had two seizures and was sent to the ICU. I don’t have any memory of this, as a matter of fact, I don’t have any memory of most of 2022..."

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Herpes Simplex Virus Encephalitis Lived Experience — Jim's Story

Jim's career included 20+ years with the Port Authority of NY & NJ; however, as a result of his herpes simplex virus encephalitis diagnosis, he retired last February.

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John's encephalitis story

Viral Meningoencephalitis Lived Experience - John's Story

Before developing encephalitis, John worked as principal teacher in a large school for children with complex learning needs in the center of Dublin. He was actively involved both locally and nationally on Education Boards and worked part-time in three of the teacher training colleges. He has been playing piano since he was a child and is convinced that his passion for music was a fundamental part of his recovery.

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Henry

Encephalitis and Bereavement Shared by Parents, Louise and Richard — Henry's Story

Henry's parents, Louise and Richard, share the trauma they endured when Henry died. Henry spent one week in hospital after his parents recognized that something wasn't right. After many tests, and eventually surgery, Henry sadly passed away from encephalitis a few days before his 9th birthday.

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Douglas and his friends

Autoimmune Encephalitis Told by Wife, Gail — Dougie's story

Gail shares her husband, Dougie's, story of autoimmune encephalitis. Gail talks about how Dougie went from being very active - running and playing rugby - to battling through the effects of encephalitis. Dougie sadly passed away in April 2024.

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Tick-Borne Encephalitis Lived Experience — Joe's Story

Joe, who was affected by tick-borne encephalitis when he was travelling in Scotland, talks about his lived experience. He had fever like symptoms when he realized something was wrong.

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Anti-NMDAR Encephalitis Lived Experience — Casey's story

I felt my vision begin to swim and before I knew it, I had passed out. That was the last day I spent at Primary school, and I didn’t know. Everything happened so quickly after that day. I lost the ability to walk, to talk, to eat and do anything else all in quick succession.

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Chloe and her family

Enteroviral Meningoencephalitis Lived Experience — Chloe's Story

Ceinwen's daughter Chloe became unwell with enteroviral meningoencephalitis when she was three-years-old. She has been on the road to recovery for over 11 years. Ceinwen tells her story of encephalitis at the My Brain My Story event in 2023.

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Full Event Archive

This section is intended for use only on the main Events page.

Illustration of two scientists and a human brain

My Brain & Medicine, Sweden

Please note this is a FREE in-person event only for patients diagnosed with encephalitis, their family members and caregivers. Venue: Elite Hotel Carolina Tower, Eugeniavägen 6, 171 64, Stockholm, Sweden  Room: Wilhelm Röntgen Hall Date:  Monday 26 January 2026 – 12.30 – 18.30hrs (CEST) Most of this event will be presented in Swedish and the […]

26 January 2026
Sweden
View Event

World Encephalitis Day Alliance Conference Empowering Hope 2026

Please note that this event is an in person event taking place in Denver, United States Overview Join the World Encephalitis Day Alliance for a day of hope, empowerment, and unity at the World Encephalitis Day Alliance Conference 2026 – you won’t want to miss it! Welcome to the World Encephalitis Day Alliance Conference, Empowering […]

20 - 22 February 2026
Embassy Suites by Hilton Denver International Airport
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Images of Edinburgh Marathon Festival participants and logo.

Edinburgh Marathon Festival

The Edinburgh Marathon Festival offers a varied programme of events across the weekend, with kids races, 5km, 10km, half marathon and full marathon, including the Hairy Haggis Team Relay option for 4 runners.

23 - 24 May 2026
Edinburgh, UK
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Images of participants in the Great North Run, including Encephalitis International supporters.

Great North Run

The AJ Bell Great North Run is the world’s biggest half marathon, with 60,000 runners taking on the 13.1 mile route from Newcastle to South Shields. Register your interest for 2026!

13 September 2026
Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
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Ultra Challenge events - logo and participants.

Ultra Challenge - Walk, Jog, or Run

Whether along stunning coastlines, or trails through wonderful countryside, your Ultra Challenge® will be unforgettable. Walk, jog or run - take on a 10km, 25km, 50km 75km or even a 100km Ultra Challenge.

Various Dates / Locations, United Kingdom
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Image of challenge participants supporting Encephalitis International around the UK.

UK Challenges - Run, Tough Mudder, Bungee

Want to run your first 5k? Or how about the challenge of a marathon or obstacle race? There are plenty of challenge options in the UK to support us!

Various Dates / Locations, United Kingdom
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Image of challenge participants supporting Encephalitis International around the world.

Global Running Challenges

Sight-seeing and running combine brilliantly for these global challenge events. Run through must-see cities and past iconic landmarks whilst supporting Encephalitis International!

Various Dates / Locations, Worldwide
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Cycling challenge participants.

Cycling Challenges

From short cycles to epic multi-day international rides, there is a huge range of cycling challenges to choose from. Get on your bike and support Encephalitis International!

Various Dates / Locations, Europe
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Images of participants and the logos for the SuperHalfs Series.

SuperHalfs Series

The SuperHalfs Series brings together six epic destination half marathons which runners complete to secure their SuperMedal and a place in the SuperHalfs Hall of Fame. The events take place in Berlin, Cardiff, Copenhagen, Lisbon, Prague and Valencia. What an awesome challenge to take on in support of Encephalitis International!

Various Dates / Locations, Europe
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Autoimmune Encephalitis - Shiloh's Story

Before her illness, Shiloh loved driving, racing, fitness, nature, friends, and work. In 2022, her life changed dramatically as worsening symptoms including headaches, hallucinations, memory loss, seizures, and physical complications which led to a diagnosis of autoimmune encephalitis and a long, intensive hospital stay. Her recovery required ICU-level care at home and immense emotional, physical, and financial support from her family and community. Today, Shiloh continues to heal and has regained independence, with her family reflecting on the power of faith, resilience, love, and positivity throughout their ongoing journey.

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LGi1 Autoimmune Encephalitis - Graeme's Story

Graeme shares his lived experience of LGi1 autoimmune encephalitis. Graeme shares his experience of developing sudden, involuntary spasms in early 2022 that gradually worsened and disrupted his daily life. Despite repeated medical consultations, his symptoms were misdiagnosed or overlooked for nearly two years. The episodes, later identified as dystonic seizures, were triggered by stress, fatigue, and everyday activities.

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Herpes Simplex Virus Encephalitis - Adey's Story

What came next was a horror story and the experience of physical, mental and emotional torture. My symptoms intensified. Confusion, mental fog, extreme fatigue, severe headache, non stop cyclical vomiting, unbearable abdominal pain, my throat inflamed now unable to swallow my saliva without intense burning, and excruciating pain with touch that ran through my body like fire when sensory neurons/pathways were glitched (hyperesthesia/allodynia).

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Dr Ava Easton MBE

Chief Executive, Encephalitis International

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Phillippa Chapman

Deputy Chief Executive

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Alina Ellerington

Alina Ellerington

Director of Services

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Calum Goodwin

Director of Partnerships and Fundraising

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Caroline Clark

Finance Manager

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Emma Collins

Patient and Public Involvement Manager

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Jon Ainley

Support Line Manager

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Julie Welburn

Admin and Events Manager

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Jo Brooke

Trusts and Foundation Manager

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Poonam Mistry

Data Insights and CRM Manager

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Prav Prathapan

Prav Prathapan

Senior Medical Writer

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Vicky Burgess

Fundraising and Finance Admin Manager

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Alex Amareia

Digital Outreach and Volunteer Manager

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Ally Phillips

Personal Assistant to the CEO

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Natalie Herbert

Administration Executive

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Leisa Sherry

Graphic Designer

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Kirsty Holtby

Fundraising Manager

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