Myaware

Myaware, formerly the Myasthenia Gravis Association and established in 1976 by those affected by the condition, is the UK's leading charity dedicated exclusively to people with myasthenia gravis, congenital myasthenia, ocular myasthenia, and Lambert-Eaton myasthenic syndrome. Its mission is to improve lives through comprehensive support, public and medical awareness, and funding scientific research aimed at reducing the impact of these rare neuromuscular conditions and ultimately finding cures. Guided by core values of compassion, empowerment, inclusion, and a patient-led ethos, Myaware prioritizes lived experience, evidence-based interventions, and collaboration with clinicians to address isolation, delayed diagnosis, and health inequalities.

The charity funds biomedical and clinical research projects focused solely on the causes, management, and treatments of myasthenic syndromes, benefiting patients, families, carers, and communities across the UK. Supported activities include original research at academic institutions and NHS clinics, alongside direct services like support groups, advocacy for NHS treatment access, education, and peer networks. Over five years, it has invested over £1.1 million in projects advancing autoimmune mechanisms and care pathways.

Eligible applicants are UK-based academic institutions, hospital research departments, or specialist clinical teams with myasthenia expertise; unsolicited applications are not accepted, and there are no income thresholds. Grants typically range from £10,000 to £80,000 (often £20,000–£50,000), awarded via periodic calls announced on the website—no rolling deadlines—with proposals undergoing staff screening and peer review by the medical committee. Myaware excludes non-myasthenia work, general charity projects, or unrestricted funding, distinguishing itself as the sole UK charity for all myasthenic syndromes, with deep patient-clinician partnerships and a transformative theory of change.