Russell Fleming, Content Manager, ME Association.
ME Awareness Week will take place from Monday 11th to Sunday 17th May and we would really appreciate hearing about your life with M.E.
Whether you fancy writing a guest blog on the MEA Website for sharing across social media, an article in ME Essential Magazine or working with us to produce an article for the News-media, getting your stories out there is one of the best ways to raise awareness about M.E. and improve understanding.
This special week provides us with an annual opportunity to tell people who don’t know very much about M.E. what having this disease is like and how it can devastate plans, hopes and dreams. It is also a chance to focus our efforts and reach people who might have the symptoms of M.E. but not yet a diagnosis.
Raising awareness of the issues we face as a community can also be a great time to fundraise for your favourite charity, and this year we will continue our popular Go Blue 4 ME campaign. If you have any fundraising questions then please get in touch with Tony Britton (07946 760811).
THE LOST YEARS
Our main theme for ME Awareness Week is The Lost Years and we’d love to hear your story, whether it be a short time since your diagnosis or many, many years of suffering with M.E.
What are the things you have missed out on because of M.E.? What do you miss from your life before M.E.? How has it affected your education, employment, family and social life? How have you adjusted to a life with M.E.? Maybe you still struggle to accept this new life or perhaps you are now able to accomplish more than before… Whatever your situation we’d love to hear from you.
Please send a draft of your story to: Feedback@meassociation.org.uk and title it: The Lost Years. Include some photographs if you have any and a note telling us if you would like your story to be considered for the news-media. If not, then we’ll feature it on the MEA website and social media platforms and in ME Essential Magazine:
- The deadline for blogs and news-media submissions is 31st March so that we have time to promote your stories to the press and collate content for May.
A FOCUS ON SYMPTOMS
We will also focus on The Symptoms of M.E. and would like to hear about how you manage day to day as well as any tips or advice you might like to pass on to others. Each day of ME Awareness Week we will highlight a particular symptom and aim to inform people – especially those who might not yet have a diagnosis – what constitutes M.E.
Please send us your stories: What are your worst symptoms? What symptoms have you been able to manage best and what symptoms can’t you manage? Have you found any medications that help or any other form of symptom relief? Do you rely on disability aids? If you receive disability benefits, how have they helped you live with M.E.? Do you have help from family, or employ a carer? How do they help you manage your M.E.?
Please send a draft of your story to: Feedback@meassociation.org.uk and title it: A Focus on Symptoms. Include some photographs if you have any and a note telling us if you would like your story to be considered for the news-media. If not, then we’ll feature it on the MEA website and social media platforms and in ME Essential Magazine:
- The deadline for blogs and news-media submissions is 31st March so that we have time to promote your stories to the press and collate content for May.
Help us improve medical awareness of M.E.
We desperately want to increase awareness of M.E. and get more information out to the medical profession, in particular to your GPs.
There are still so many that do not understand this disease and ME Awareness Week gives us the ideal opportunity to improve the situation with a focused mailing.
Please send us your GPs name and address so that we can send them regular copies of ME Essential Magazine, the opportunity to receive our information leaflets and a copy of our clinical and research guide (The Purple Book).
Your information will remain completely confidential.
- Please send this information to: caroline.cavey@meassociation.org.uk by 15th March to ensure your GP receives the next issue which will focus on ME Awareness Week.
- Any addresses received after this date will be added to the list for future magazines etc.
ME Awareness Week gives us all an opportunity to make sure the world is more informed about this disease and raise awareness about how you cope, the lack of effective treatments and the way M.E. affects your life. So, whatever your story is, we want to hear it! We have more things planned for May, but for now if you can help then please get in touch – and don't forget to pass on your GPs contact details!
CARERS WEEK 2020
Monday 8th to Sunday 14th June
This is just to give you a heads-up about Carers Week in June. We’ll be promoting the event again in the coming months once Carers UK have announced their plans.
We would also really like to hear from any carers of people with M.E. as we turn our attention to this important week of awareness.
Are you a carer for someone with M.E.? How does it affect your own life? Do you have any tips or advice you can pass on to other carers? Would you like to connect with other carers of people with M.E.?
Please send a draft of your story to: Feedback@meassociation.org.uk and title it: Carers Week. Include some photographs if you have any and a note telling us if you would like your story to be considered for the news-media. If not, then we’ll feature it on the MEA website and social media platforms during Carers Week in June, and in the Summer issue of ME Essential magazine.
- The deadline for blogs and news-media stories is 30th April so that we have time to promote your stories to the press and collate content for the website and social media during Carers Week in June.
The ME Association
Please support our vital work
We are a national charity working hard to make the UK a better place for people whose lives have been devastated by an often-misunderstood neurological disease.
If you would like to support our efforts and ensure we are able to inform, support, advocate and invest in biomedical research, then please donate today.
Just click the image opposite or visit our JustGiving page for one-off donations or to establish a regular payment. You can even establish your own fundraising event.
Or why not join the ME Association as a member and be part of our growing community? For a monthly (or annual) subscription you will also receive ME Essential – quite simply the best M.E. magazine!
ME Association Registered Charity Number 801279