Dr Ava Easton, Chief Executive of Encephalitis International and Honorary Senior Fellow in the Department of Clinical Infection, Microbiology and Immunology, has been awarded an MBE in the King’s New Year Honours List for services to people affected by encephalitis.
For 25 years, Ava has worked to improve the lives of individuals and families affected by encephalitis, a potentially devastating inflammation of the brain caused by infection or the immune system attacking the brain in error.
Dr Easton said: “I am deeply honoured to receive this MBE. It is truly humbling to be recognised in this way, and I accept it not just on my own behalf, but on behalf of all the people affected by encephalitis who have inspired my work every day. I hope this recognition can help highlight encephalitis, a condition that can change lives in an instant, and encourages more support, research, and understanding. Thank you to His Majesty The King for this extraordinary honour. It is a moment I will treasure forever.”
As a long-standing researcher and leader of Encephalitis International, Dr Easton has played a central role in shaping the field and has been instrumental in developing initiatives that improve clinical diagnosis and management, and patient support. She is the architect of World Encephalitis Day, a global campaign that has significantly raised worldwide awareness of the condition. Through her research, advocacy and service development, she has provided critical guidance and support to tens of thousands of people worldwide.
Professor Tom Solomon, President of Encephalitis International and Director of the Pandemic Institute at the University of Liverpool, said: “Dr Easton is one of the most remarkable people who I have ever had the privilege of working with. Improving the outcomes of those impacted by encephalitis has become a vocation for her, and she has, through her solid leadership, vision and motivation of others, changed the lives of thousands of individuals, both in the UK and more recently across the globe.”