‘You see just the tip of the iceberg’ | a message for ME Awareness Week | 10 -17 May 2015

May 10, 2015


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We have an illness called Myalgic Encephalomyelitis. You may know it as ME or Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

You will rarely see us. Like the iceberg below water, 90% of us are invisible. We are at home, in bed. When you do see us, we look OK. Slow, pale and drawn, yes, but you will see no scars or bandages. Yet we are very ill.

Our quality of life is less than cancer and multiple sclerosis patients up to six months before their death but we are treated as though we just lack the will to do something. When young, this devastating illness is the biggest cause of long term absence from school.It robs us of our youth. When older, we lose our jobs, friends, and often our carers. That’s what our illness does.

The 10th of May is the start of ME Awareness Week. The ME Association has a very simple message. “Take ME seriously”. With your awareness and understanding, we can change the damaging perceptions of this illness and help to improve the lives of those who face it.

Neil Riley
Chairman, The ME Association

1 thought on “‘You see just the tip of the iceberg’ | a message for ME Awareness Week | 10 -17 May 2015”

  1. Thank you to Neil Riley for explaining in so few yet powerful words the reality of this devastating illness.
    I’m sure many are still feeling the affects of the General Election results and are understandably worried and afraid what the impact will be of ‘£12bn of undisclosed cuts’ to Welfare and where the axe is going to fall. Thankfully we know we can rely on the MEA to fight our corner as they have done tremendously good work and joining together with other charities/campaigners representing the genuinely sick and disabled who are so vulnerable and are unable to fight this terrible injustice themselves.

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