A Newcastle-upon-Tyne woman has nominated her immediate family to receive a hamper in the ME Association's great Christmas give-away.
The campaign is called ‘From M.E. to You' and it honours the community's remarkable band of unpaid carers.
Severely ill Chantalle Peretti would like her paramedic husband Richard and their two children – 11-year-old Holly and Charlie (9) – to share one of the hampers. Chantalle, who was diagnosed with ME and Fibromyalgia six years ago, said:
“I nominate the three of them because they are literally the reason I live. Since getting ill, my family have had to learn to adapt their lives round me.
“I am housebound, need adaptions round the house and they have taken all this in their stride.”
Chantalle Peretti
Chantalle and Richard, who are both 40 years of age, met in 2015. He proposed to her (and by extension her lovely children) on a family trip to the zoo shortly afterwards.
“My husband works full-time as a paramedic and had to change his shifts to only work nights so he can be there through the day for me.
“He rarely gets more than four hours sleep as he also has to do the school runs and look after house, etc. He often has to pick up overtime to make ends meet and will still do anything he can to help others.”
And where would they be without Holly and Charlie?
“They’re totally amazing. They help me to do everything nowadays and I couldn’t be prouder. At school, they call me every lunch and break to make sure I’m OK. That always make me smile!
“They write poems and articles to educate others and often do talks in school to tell people what life is like being a young carer.
“They are amazing fundraisers for the ME Association and other causes, and I fight to live every day for them. Without them I wouldn’t be able, and I wouldn’t want to live.”
Over the next 6 weeks, we will be making random selections from the people you nominate and sending them hampers crammed with seasonal treats. And, with your permission, featuring some of the stories you have provided.
Please don’t stop making your nominations. We have received 60 in the last 3 days!
To nominate you must be a member of the ME Association, or nominating someone who is a member. And the person you nominate must live in the UK.
Tony Britton
Senior Fundraising Consultant, The ME Association
tony.britton@meassociation.org.uk Mob: 07393 805566
