Helen Hyland, Fundraising Manager, ME Association.
Sarah Summers is aiming to go way outside her comfort zone by shaving her head for a charity close to her heart.
Her mother Jeannette developed M.E. or chronic fatigue syndrome over 5 years ago.
And Sarah is keen to raise funds for a charity that supports her mother and thousands like her – The ME Association.
Sunday, 1st July is now the date when everything takes place.
Sarah writes: “When my mum was diagnosed with M.E I was very worried for her. It scared me to see what she had become.
“My beautiful mum used to be very outgoing and very bubbly. She used to walk for miles with her friends and would be very happy in herself.
“She now finds it very hard to walk very far at all; she will need to rest for hours after walking just a fraction of the distance she used to manage. She is constantly tired, and having to fight through it every day.
“M.E is different for each person, from mild to severe. My mum is pretty lucky because she isn't bedridden. But we are frightened that she may become so in the future if the illness progresses.
“She hates having to cancel plans to meet friends because she is still struggling to work and must conserve her precious energy for that alone. She must continue to work because she's recently been denied disability benefit.
“It’s not just the tiredness: her muscles ache and pain can creep in whenever she does too much. She has ‘foggy brain' which is where she feels like a cloud has taken over her mind, she can't think clearly and gets very confused easily.
“It's very frustrating for her and upsetting for me. Even playing with her two grandchildren brings happiness but extreme exhaustion after.
“Unfortunately for M.E sufferers there is currently no cure, and some are known to have died because of this horrid illness. This has GOT to stop! Research is vital if we are to change the situation for the better.
“My mum means the world to me and after 5 years of seeing really struggle with the illness, I decided that I finally needed to do my bit for M.E. and help raise funds for all those affected by it.
“I have social anxiety, and my beautiful hair means so much to me, so getting it shaved off is a really big deal. It is my Mum’s unconditional love that is giving me the inner strength to go through with this challenge. I am determined to succeed!
“You can help today by donating to my fundraising page. Let's destroy M.E together. And if you want to learn more about why I’m doing this, please watch my video.”
The ME Association
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