Changemakers: a pioneering collaboration of donors and supporters dedicated to equitable diagnosis and treatment of encephalitis around the world

Changemakers was inspired by in-depth research carried out by the Encephalitis Society which identified global issues surrounding encephalitis and ways they can be tackled. Fittingly, Changemakers is also one of our new values: "We create the change in the world that makes life better for our community."

Through the Changemakers initiative, the Encephalitis Society is seeking to raise £100,000 each year. This will fund crucial projects which will help ensure encephalitis matters, no matter where in the world someone is affected.

The project was launched at the Royal College of Physicians, London, on Monday, 6th December 2021, with the Encephalitis Society asking philanthropists and other supporters and stakeholders to commit their support to urgently making lives better for people affected by encephalitis. 

Click above to watch the launch video, presented by the Patron of the Changemakers Collaborative, Rebecca Adlington OBE. 

Dr Ava Easton, Chief Executive of the Encephalitis Society, said: “It’s simple. There needs to be better access and better standards of encephalitis healthcare for people around the world especially those who live in low-to-middle income countries.

“We have called it Changemakers for good reason – we believe we can make a real change to encephalitis treatment and after-care in countries which need it right now. The legacy of this project could be felt in the short-term and for generations to come.”

The seed of the idea for the Changemakers collective came with the arrival of Encephalitis: an In-depth Review and Gap Analysis of Key Variables Affecting Global Disease Burden. The 180-page analysis, commissioned by the Encephalitis Society, identifies global issues surrounding encephalitis and proposes a range of solutions, ranging from epidemiology, incidence, and economic impacts through to prevention, diagnosis and treatment, and the needs of patients and families.

The paper has since been shared by the World Health Organization who have agreed to work with the Encephalitis Society and other stakeholders on the project's key findings. More information on this work can be found here.

If you would like to learn more about the Changemakers Initiative, please contact Calum Goodwin, via email