As part of Volunteer Week, we’re sharing the powerful story of Evie, who developed autoimmune anti-NMDAR encephalitis at just 19 years old.

What began with flu-like symptoms quickly became seizures, hallucinations, psychosis, memory loss, and months in hospital. In this deeply honest conversation, Evie opens up about surviving encephalitis as a teenager, losing her sense of identity, struggling to return to work and normal life, and the emotional impact the illness had on her relationships and mental health.

Now a volunteer with Encephalitis International, Evie supports other survivors and families through our online peer support groups - helping people realise they are not alone.

This episode navigates through recovery, identity, isolation, and life after brain injury.

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If you have been affected by encephalitis and are in need of some support, please visit https://www.encephalitis.info/support

If you would like to stay up to date with our news and events please sign up to our mailing list here: https://www.encephalitis.info/keep-in-touch

Support our work providing help and assistance to families affected by encephalitis by visiting: https://www.encephalitis.info/donate

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Follow Encephalitis International:

📢 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EncephalitisInternational

📢 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/encephalitisinternational

📢 LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/company/encephalitisinternational

In this episode, Prav speaks with Hina about her son Dian’s journey with autoimmune encephalitis and the challenges of returning to school after a life-changing diagnosis.

After Dian began experiencing seizures at just seven years old, Hina and her family faced a long and emotional journey through hospital testing, uncertainty, memory difficulties, and major changes in daily life and more recently his transition up to a new school.

Hina reflects back on the past 5 years and shares how encephalitis affected Dian’s learning, confidence, friendships, and family dynamics and how communication, persistence, counselling, and school support helped them move forward.

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If you have been affected by encephalitis and are in need of some support, please visit https://www.encephalitis.info/support

If you would like to stay up to date with our news and events please sign up to our mailing list here: https://www.encephalitis.info/keep-in-touch

Support our work providing help and assistance to families affected by encephalitis by visiting: https://www.encephalitis.info/donate

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Follow Encephalitis International:

📢 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EncephalitisInternational

📢 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/encephalitisinternational

📢 LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/company/encephalitisinternational

The Encephalitis Podcast Ep 70

In this special episode of the Encephalitis Podcast for World Immunization Week, we spotlight West Nile encephalitis through the powerful short film Unconquered: Battling Back After West Nile Virus.

Host Prav is joined by Tom, a West Nile encephalitis survivor, and Shawn, filmmaker and CEO of SES Productions, who brought Tom’s story to life on screen.

Tom shares his journey from sudden severe illness and hospitalization in 2024, through weeks of rehabilitation, to his ongoing recovery marked by determination, physical therapy, and personal goals. His story highlights the long-term neurological impact of the disease and the slow, non-linear path to regaining strength and mobility.

Shawn discusses how a chance connection led him to Tom’s story, and why he felt compelled to document it. Drawing on his background in journalism, he explains the importance of human storytelling in raising awareness, balancing science with personal narrative, and sparking conversations about prevention, early diagnosis, and the urgent need for a human vaccine.

This episode was filmed as part of World Immunization Week April 2026

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If you have been affected by encephalitis and are in need of some support, please visit https://www.encephalitis.info/support

If you would like to stay up to date with our news and events please sign up to our mailing list here: https://www.encephalitis.info/keep-in-touch

Support our work providing help and assistance to families affected by encephalitis by visiting: https://www.encephalitis.info/donate #EncephalitisAwareness #BrainDisorder #EncephalitisSociety ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Follow Encephalitis International:

📢 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EncephalitisInternational

📢 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/encephalitisinternational

📢 LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/company/encephalitisinternational