Lucy Dawson

Sobre Lucy Dawson

Lucy Dawson was misdiagnosed with a mental disorder until 2016 when she was finally diagnosed with an uncommon brain disease known as Anti-NMDA Receptor Encephalitis. This condition insidiously affected her life, leading to the loss of her speech, memory, and mobility. Autoimmune Encephalitis occurs when the immune system inaccurately identifies healthy brain cells as harmful and begins to attack them. This misguided response leads the body to believe it is self-repairing while it is actually causing harm. As inflammation in the brain escalates, NDMA receptors, which are vital for functions such as judgment, reality perception, human interaction, memory formation, and various autonomic activities like swallowing and breathing, come under siege. During her stay in a mental health facility, she experienced a seizure while left unattended, resulting in her falling out of bed and onto a heating pipe, which rendered her immobile. When help arrived, she had suffered third-degree burns on her buttocks and leg, resulting in damage to her sciatic nerve that left her with paralysis from the knee down on that side. Following her recovery, Lucy has emerged as an advocate for both Anti-NMDA Receptor Encephalitis awareness and the representation of individuals with disabilities. She has appeared in campaigns for numerous brands, including Ann Summers, George at Asda, Spotify, Amazon, Simply Be, Playful Promises, Love Honey, PrettyLittleThing, Feel Unique, Curvy Kate, Dear Scantilly, Bravissimo, Bondara, Fabletics, and Hunkemoller.