For the past six years, I've been doing research on encephalitis. Meeting patients and their families, it's clear a diagnosis can be devastating. Our research has shown that survivors can be left with a lasting brain injury, affecting their memory and causing disabilities that can be life-long. But many of the people I've met have never heard of encephalitis until it affects them or one of their family members, and many raise concerns that they've been diagnosed late and that their disability could have been avoided. We urgently need to raise awareness and conduct further research to improve diagnosis.

To raise money for Encephalitis International, I'll be running the Paris marathon in April dressed in rugby kit and have applied to break a Guinness World Record! Two of the charity ambassadors are professional rugby players, Abi Burton and Aled Davies, who have been affected by encephalitis. Encephalitis International will use the money raised to fund much needed research, raise awareness, and support survivors and their families during their recovery.

What better way to 'tackle' encephalitis than head on?!

Never heard of encephalitis? Here are 5 facts to get you started!