This fundraiser supports the 2026 World Encephalitis Day Appeal and the work of Encephalitis International.

Encephalitis is inflammation of the brain, caused by either an infection or the immune system attacking the brain in error.

Worldwide, someone is affected every 20 seconds. Encephalitis is a thief. 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.

Despite this, 77% of people have never heard of encephalitis.

Think Brain in FLAMES, Think Encephalitis

My journey with encephalitis began in about April 2024 and by mid-May I was so unwell that I suffered a tonic clonic seizure and taken to hospital via ambulance.

Initially I was misdiagnosed with hyponatremia (low blood sodium levels) before my family pushed for further testing. Viral encephalitis was suspected at first but further testing at Royal Perth Hospital confirmed Anti-GAD autoimmune encephalitis.

18 months later I still suffer from this illness and cannot work or do many things we all take for granted. I still experience micro-seizures which are mainly kept under control with 2 anti-seizure meds, I still have diplopia (double vision) and a nystagmus. I also get fatigued super easily and receive IV immunoglobulin (a plasma product) every 4 weeks.

Any support you can give will help the medical field understand this illness better and hopefully provide faster diagnoses to prevent further severe cases due to misdiagnosis by GPs and EDs like I experienced ❤️