Our son, James, was struck down with this devastating condition that has been life changing and left us with an uncertain future. From being a totally healthy boy, it's difficult to believe that a viral throat infection could penetrate his body's immune system and attack his own brain cells. James has been left with epilepsy, a movement disorder, cognitive impairment, mutism and behavioural/sleep disorders. It has been a tragic time for the whole family, but our one aim in partnership with Just Giving, is to raise awareness of this deadly condition that can strike anyone at any age and to help fund research into the many ways you can support the sufferer and their families dealing with the effects of encephalitis.
Before James contracted this condition we had no idea what encephalitis was and had never heard of it. Throughout our journey with James we have searched the web high and low to contact charities, help and support groups and other families that have had or know of someone who has been affected by Encephalitis.
It was on this journey that we discovered a charity called the Encephalitis society. They are the only service in the world that offer a dedicated service to people affected by encephalitis and their loved ones. They helped us by allowing us to share our story over the telephone and lend a supportive ear for hours, they provided an information pack to help us deal with all aspects of how encephalitis can impact our lives and kindly gave our daughter, Ella, a special book to help explain what was happening to her brother accompanied with a soft toy to highlight the moral and importance of the characters in the story.
The Encephalitis Society have been a lifeline for us all during this difficult time and we are truly grateful that we have been able to access the services they provide. Having read some other case studies about how the Encephalitis Society has helped others, it is truly touching to see how their efforts and resources have helped in so many ways.
The Encephalitis Society, like most charities, is largely funded by private donations and as such they need our help to continue their great work. Your help will contribute towards raising awareness, funding information materials, conducting research and manning of support lines for all affected by Encephalitis, to name but a few of the great objectives of the society.
I hope you will share my passion to support The Encephalitis Society and wish them every success in continuing their great work for many years to come.
Thank you for taking the time to visit our page. We hope you are able to support this truly worthy cause.
For those wanting to know a bit more about the Encephalitis Society, I have included some additional information at the end of this text for your reference.
Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to the charity and make sure Gift Aid is reclaimed on every eligible donation by a UK taxpayer. So it’s the most efficient way to donate - I raise more, whilst saving time and cutting costs for the charity.
• We are the only resource of our kind in the world providing a dedicated service to people affected by encephalitis and their loved ones • We provide a telephone information line: Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm. Answerphone outside these hours • We have a range of information materials including books, DVD, leaflets and factsheets • We have a dedicated direct support service offered via telephone, letter, e-mail and, on occasion, outreach visiting • We provide a range of opportunities to get together including an Annual meeting, Retreat weekend, Children and Family breaks • We send out a regular Newsletter with news and information on developments in the consequences of, and treatment of Encephalitis • An expert Professional Panel contributes to the strategy of the Society, particularly with regard to the production of evidence based information and research • Our web site, www.encephalitis.info offers access to a wide range of up to date information on the condition, its consequences, treatment and rehabilitation • The Society is managed by a Board of Directors, the majority of whom have been personally affected, or have a direct professional interest in encephalitis • We contribute to ongoing research in the field either by the funding of, the support of, or conducting research to further understand the causes and consequences of encephalitis. • We have developed a Regional Representative Volunteer Service in several areas within UK, facilitating a more effective way of obtaining local information and support.The Encephalitis Society is a UK based charity set up by people affected by encephalitis in 1994.
