FINALIST 2025
Don't Delay. Give Today. Our World Encephalitis Day appeal.
World Encephalitis Day is the global awareness day for encephalitis ran by Encephalitis International since 2014. For its tenth year, we wanted to mark this occasion by launching our biggest ever appeal to raise £40,000. Speaking with our community, we recognised many of them had experienced a delay in their diagnosis owing to the limited awareness and capability to diagnose encephalitis amongst medical professionals.
On World Encephalitis Day 2024, we shared results of a global survey of medical professionals which highlighted an immediate need for better training opportunities to improve confidence and ability to diagnose encephalitis sooner. Highlights of this survey included only one third of respondents agreeing their training had given them confidence to diagnose encephalitis whilst 85% somewhat or strongly agreed they would benefit from further training.
This appeal video brought together those affected by encephalitis, and medical professionals, from across the world to share the impacts of delayed diagnosis of encephalitis and kickstart a landmark project for Encephalitis International: the development of globally-accessible training modules on the condition for healthcare professionals. We hope to deliver these training modules in 2025.
Encephalitis is inflammation of the brain, caused by either an infection or the immune system attacking the brain in error. Worldwide, a person is diagnosed with encephalitis (brain inflammation) every minute. It is an acutely serious condition with high mortality rates - depending on the cause, even with treatment up to 4 in 10 people affected will die. For the families of those who survive it often robs them of the person they once knew. Encephalitis steals their capacity to remember as well as the types of abilities we all generally take for granted such as memory, concentration and awareness. Despite being more prevalent in many countries than Motor Neurone Disease, multiple sclerosis and bacterial meningitis, 8 out of 10 people have never heard of encephalitis.
Encephalitis International is the only charity of any size anywhere in the world providing direct support and information to people affected by encephalitis (brain inflammation), raising awareness, and furthering our understanding of the condition through research.
A world without death and disability from encephalitis.
Rebuilding futures around the world by saving lives, accelerating awareness and driving research.
We align with the following UN Sustainable Development Goals:
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