24-Hour Row in Memory of My Nanna, Judith

Me my cousin Olivia and my mum and dad are completing a 24-hour row in memory of my Nanna, Judith Boote, to raise money for Encephalitis International and support their mission to help people affected by this devestating condition.

Worldwide, three people are diagnosed with encephalitis (brain inflammation) every minute. Caused by infection or autoimmune diseases, it can affect anyone. It is an acutely serious condition with high mortality rates, leaving many who do survive with an acquired brain injury - potentially affecting them physically and/or affecting their memory, thinking and personality for the rest of their lives.

Encephalitis International's mission is rebuilding futures of those affected: saving lives, accelerating awareness and driving research.

When my Nanna was just 40 years old, she had encephalitis. This caused permanant damage to her frontal and temporal lobes, and she had to relearn many of the things that most of us took foregranted. It took around two to three years before she was able to rebuild her life and live independantly again.

I never knew my Nanna before she had encephalitis, but i have heard from many friends and family about how much the illness changed her. She was still my Nanna but different to the person she was before.

We all loved the time we got to spend with my Nanna. She always tried to make everything fun and special for me and my cousins, and this is what makes our memories of her so special.

Around 2017, our family began to notice a change in my Nanna that reminded us of how she had been when she first had encephalitis. After a long and difficult journey, she was eventually diagnosed with vascular dementia. Her brain had already been affected by the damage caused by encephalitis, and it was no longer able to compensate in the way it had.

Her health deteriorated quickly. In october 2019, she suffered a stroke, and over the years we watched someone we loved dearly become increasingly affected by her ilnesses.

The lasting damage caused by encaphalitis, alongside the vascular dementia and stroke, contributed to my Nanna having a shorter life than she should have had.

We are doing this challenge not only in memory of my Nanna, but to raise awareness of encaphalitis. It is a very serious condition, yet so many people have never heard of it or would not recognise the signs and symptoms. Greater awareness can gelp people understand how serious encephalitis is and ensure that those affected receive the help, treatment and rehabillitation and support they need.

My Nanna's experience shows that the impact of encephalitis does not necessarily end when someone recovers from the initial illness. The damage it causes can affect a person and their family for the rest of their lives.

I will be rowing for 24 hours in memory of my Nanna, for the memories she gave me, and for everyone whose lives have been changed by encephalitis.

I would also like to say thank you to MyActiveBiddulph for allowing us to complete this challenge at the centre and for supporting me in raising awareness for Encaphalitis international.

Please donate if you can and help me raise awareness of this devestating condition.