Founded by patient, Vanessa Carter, a survivor of a highly-resistant infection and active in advocacy since 2013, The AMR Narrative is a UK-registered Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO), established in 2022 to build advocacy capacity, raise awareness and promote global community engagement in the fight against antimicrobial resistance (AMR).
As patients, consumers, pet owners, parents and caregivers, we play a crucial role in advocating for the responsible use of antimicrobial medicines. By protecting these medicines across human and animal health, the environment and food sectors, we can help ensure a more sustainable future, especially for those most vulnerable to untreatable infections.
Develop public and patient capacity to encourage participation and advocacy through ongoing programmes, mentorship, tools and resources.
Promote patient and public understanding about AMR through access to information, education and awareness raising both locally and globally.
Build a global community and provide a platform for patients and the public to engage in dialogues and other opportunities related to AMR.
Microbes are part of nature and live all around us. Some of them even live harmoniously inside our bodies, but every now and again a bad one can cause an infection. Some infections are resistant to the antimicrobial medicines designed to treat them. Microbes, also known as germs, include bacteria, fungi, viruses and parasites.
treat bacterial infections
treat fungal infections
treat viral infections
treat parasitic infections
📅 Dates: 18–24 November every year🌍 Led by: World Health Organization (WHO)💬 Theme 2025: Act Now: Protect Our Present, Secure Our Future📢 Hashtags: #WAAW #WAAW2025 #AntimicrobialResistance #AMR #TheAMRNarrative💡 Goal: Promote awareness and encourage responsible antimicrobial use Every November, the global health community unites for World Antimicrobial Awareness Week (WAAW), an annual campaign led by the
The IBMS Congress 2025 was held from September 22 to 25, 2025 at the International Convention Centre in Birmingham, UK. It is the largest biennial gathering of Biomedical Scientists in the UK, attracting professionals from hospitals, research labs, and industry. The congress featured a broad scientific programme covering areas such as cellular pathology, clinical chemistry,
On 10 July 2025, our Executive Director and AMR patient survivor and advocate, Vanessa Carter was delighted to take part in a panel discussion at the Shionogi London office to address the urgent global health threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Among the panellists was an unexpected advocate, actor Bill Pullman, best known for his numerous
Living with kidney disease and learning about AMR My name is Gavin Schranz and I am 27 years old from Malta. I was born with a congenital kidney condition, and hospitals have been part of my life since childhood. Kidney disease has shaped many decisions, but infections have shaped my understanding of health and risk.
My name is Chris Shaffer and for 45 years I worked in public education in Ohio and California, USA. I was a music and special education teacher early in my career before becoming a high school principal and district leader. Toward the end of my career, I moved back into the classroom for 6 years
Photo: 2016 My name is Hayley Bailey. I’m 46, and I live in Johannesburg, South Africa. I’m actually a relatively private person and didn’t have any intention of publicly sharing my story, however, I recently realised that speaking up could empower others facing similar challenges. My journey of “medical hell” began in 2007. I suffered
Advocacy plays a crucial role towards increasing awareness about the escalating threat of Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) and the pressing need to take measures to prevent it. Advocacy also serves to educate policymakers, healthcare professionals, and the general public about the significance of using antibiotics and other antimicrobial medicines responsibly. Raising our voices and creating awareness may also help to promote changes in prescribing practices, improved infection prevention and control measures, and increased funding for research and development. Furthermore, advocacy can encourage discussions around reducing the misuse of antimicrobials in food, animals, and the environment which is a significant contributor to the problem of AMR.
Organisations we have partnered or shared our experience with:
Sign up to receive the latest news including upcoming events, programmes, AMR educational and advocacy resources and fundraising opportunities.
Sign up to receive the latest news including upcoming events, programmes, AMR educational and advocacy resources and fundraising opportunities.
Dr Marie-Anne Bouldouyre is an infectious diseases physician and hospital practitioner in Paris. Twelve years of clinical work in a suburban hospital shaped her understanding of access to care, patient relationships, and the daily reality of antimicrobial resistance.
Since 2022, she has led the Regional Antibiotic Stewardship Centre in Île-de-France and coordinates the national network, working with a multidisciplinary team to promote responsible antibiotic use and strengthen collaboration among healthcare professionals. She also continues to manage complex infections at Saint-Louis Hospital.
Convinced that antimicrobial resistance cannot be tackled by healthcare workers alone, she advocates for the active involvement of patients : understanding, questioning, and taking part in decisions about antibiotics. Their stories are essential to making this issue visible and concrete.
She is proud to collaborate with initiatives such as The AMR Narrative and hopes to foster similar projects in France to give patients a voice in this shared fight.
Dr Erva Cinar is a London based paediatric resident doctor and clinical researcher with interest in infectious diseases.
She is currently completing a Master’s in Public Health at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine. Through the World Medical Association’s Junior Doctor’s Network (WMA-JDN) AMR Working Group, she engages in policy and advocacy on antimicrobial resistance and stewardship at global level.
Alongside her clinical and academic roles, she works with the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) and the International Child Health Group (ICHG); leads on organising teaching resources and educational events to improve research skills for UK paediatric trainees and for global child health professionals.
Hamu Madzedze is a seasoned Zimbabwean journalist with over 15 years’ experience.
She previously worked for the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation as a reporter and sub-editor, before establishing an independent website, 365HealthDiaries, which focuses on health and gender issues.
She holds a BA in Media Studies and a BA (Special Honours) in Communication and Media from the Zimbabwe Open University, as well as a diploma from the Christian College of Southern Africa.
Her work has been recognised with several awards, including the Global AMR Special Mention Award (2024), the Sexual Health Rights and Equity Fellowship Special Mention Award (2025), and the Merck Foundation Award (2024) for outstanding coverage of health issues, gender, infertility, and genital mutilation, where she achieved third position in the Online Category.
Hamu is passionate about addressing AMR through the media.
Dr. Jomana Musmar is a distinguished global policy expert and proactive leader with over fifteen years of government experience in strategic planning, operational design, and policy execution. Renowned for simplifying complex topics with expertise and diplomacy, she has spearheaded innovative solutions to global health challenges, shaped impactful policies, and advanced national and international missions.
As the Executive Director of the Presidential Advisory Council on Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria, she established and led the council’s operations, liaising with over 600 experts, worldwide, across government, industry, and academia. Her efforts culminated in the development of critical recommendations addressing antimicrobial resistance and interrelated One Health issues, influencing both domestic and global health strategies.
In her tenure as Deputy Director of Strategic Initiatives for the Office of Infectious Diseases and HIV/AIDS Policy, at the US Department of Health and Human Services, Dr. Musmar oversaw the formulation and implementation of national health strategies for vaccines and a range of infectious diseases including HIV/AIDS and viral hepatitis. Her leadership and technical expertise facilitated groundbreaking policies during national emergencies, including responses to the COVID-19 pandemic, and initiatives to combat congenital syphilis and childhood vaccination disruptions. Dr. Musmar holds a Ph.D. in Biodefense from George Mason University, a Master’s degree in Biomedical Science policy and Advocacy from Georgetown University, and is a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt. Fluent in English and Arabic, she is a sought-after speaker and advisor, having represented the United States at premier global health conferences.
Her published works on antimicrobial resistance, pandemic preparedness, and national health security underscore her reputation as a thought leader and innovator in public health and biodefense.
Chris Shaffer was a music, special education teacher, and high school principal for 45 years. At the end of his educational career, he was thrust into the world of AMR infections when a number of abdominal surgeries left him with an E-coli infection which failed to respond to antibiotics. After doctors in the USA left him with little hope for a cure, diminishing health, and a bleak prognosis, he set out on his own.
Chris found success in phage therapy at the Eliava Phage Therapy Center in Tbilisi, Georgia. With phage therapy giving Chris his life back, he has dedicated his retirement years to advocating for and helping raise awareness of phage therapy used for AMR infections. He tells the story of his phage journey in a book titled, Finding Phage: How I Partnered with a Friendly Virus to Cure My Deadly Bacterial Superinfection. His website, phagetherpyusa.com helps others learn to understand the healing power of phage therapy.
Demi is an Associate Scientific Director at a medical communications agency, with a background in microbiology and a longstanding focus on antimicrobial resistance. She holds an MSc in Microbiology, where she first became interested in the global challenge of resistance and the need to bring scientific understanding to wider audiences.
Demi’s career has centred on a simple but powerful belief: that how we communicate science matters. Her work focuses on making complex data clear, engaging, and accessible – whether for healthcare professionals, policy makers, or the patients most affected by infection and resistance. She has contributed to a wide range of AMR-focused projects, including educational programmes, congress communications and stewardship initiatives.
A central thread in Demi’s work is the importance of the patient voice. She is passionate about making sure real-world experiences of treatment failure, recurrent infections, and the anxiety surrounding resistance are not lost in the data. She believes that listening to patients and involving them meaningfully is essential for shaping more effective, human-centred responses to AMR.
Demi is also a strong advocate of the One Health approach, recognising AMR as a complex, interconnected issue that spans human health, animal health, and the environment. She is particularly drawn to efforts that move beyond siloed thinking and focus on practical, joined-up solutions.
In 2025, Demi joined The AMR Narrative as an Independent Advisor, where she supports the charity’s mission to centre communication, community, and inclusion in the global AMR response.
Outside of work, she is a Girlguiding unit leader and a qualified yoga teacher. These roles reflect her commitment to care, learning, and creating supportive spaces for others.
Andrea has worked in health communications and campaigning for 3 decades. She is committed to fighting AMR through timely and appropriate communications globally,.
Andrea set up Skating Panda, the creative social and environmental impact consultancy, over a decade ago and drives its impact and growth. Focused on original and lasting public interest communications as well as issue strategy and advocacy, the Panda team has a track record of prompting tipping points in the status quo that drive better social and planetary outcomes.
Andrea’s combination of commercial marketing and development experience with deep issue knowledge have been sought by decision-makers at global summits, corporate and NGO board members, and have enabled her to set up multi-million fundraising platforms and push through policies that change and save lives.
Andrea is Vice Chair of mothers2mothers, the world’s largest employer of women living with HIV, and a Board Director of Maymessy, a food poverty social enterprise.
A lifelong advocate for gender equality, she played a key role in establishing the UK’s Women’s Equality Party.
Professor Esmita Charani is a pharmacist and researcher investigating how we use antibiotics in different cultural and social contexts. She works with teams in the UK, India, and South Africa to develop research programmes investigating all aspects of antimicrobial resistance in human populations with a focus in hospital settings.
She has experience in communicating her research with patients and the public through various media including animations, blogs, and educational videos.
