We pleased to announce the appointment of Yvette Jackson (as pictured, with husband Andrew) to the Biobank CureME Steering Group. The UK ME/CFS Biobank, the first of its kind in Europe, is an open worldwide resource for clinical and biomedical research into ME/CFS. The Steering Group oversees the operations of the UK ME/CFS Biobank, helping to shape its future direction.
Yvette joins the group as a carer representative, bringing first-hand experience of supporting a loved one with ME/CFS. She cares for her husband, Andrew, a farmer who was diagnosed with the condition 13 years ago.
Many in the ME/CFS community may already be familiar with Yvette and Andrew’s advocacy work with our Charity. Andrew participated in The ME Association’s ‘Lives We Cannot Live’ photography exhibition held at London’s South Bank last year, which highlighted the realities of life with ME/CFS. While more recently, both Andrew and Yvette joined us at a parliamentary event to help drive greater understanding and support for people with ME/CFS and the unpaid carers who support them.
I was really humbled to be asked and feel it is an honour to represent the voice of carers for the Biobank CureME Steering Group. ME significantly impacts our lives, and the lives of thousands of people, and I hope our experiences can help towards increasing awareness and shaping positive change – it’s an absolute privilege to be part of an organisation that is at the forefront of ME/CFS in the UK.
Yvette Jackson
The ME Association has invested more than £1 million in the ME/CFS Biobank since it was established in 2011, and our charity continues to support its operational costs to ensure this vital resource remains at the forefront of groundbreaking research.
The CureME Steering Group, chaired by Dr Charles Shepherd, trustee and honorary medical adviser to The ME Association, is overseen by a committee that includes researchers, partner charities and people with lived experience.
Yvette brings an invaluable perspective to the Steering Group through her experience as a carer and advocate. The impact of ME/CFS extends far beyond the person with the illness, affecting families, carers and loved ones too. Having that insight and experience represented within our discussions will help ensure that the work of the UK ME/CFS Biobank remains closely connected to the needs and realities of the wider ME/CFS community.
Dr Charles Shepherd, MEA Hon Medical Adviser and Trustee
Dr Charles Shepherd,
Trustee and Hon. Medical Adviser to the ME Association,
Member of the 2018-2021 NICE guideline on ME/CFS committee,
Member of the 2002 Chief Medical Officer's Working Group on ME/CFS
Find out more about research the MEA is funding
Media Coverage
- Cumbrian Crack: Cumbrian campaigner appointed to national ME research steering group | October 20, 2026
- Cumbrian News & Star: Penrith woman joins national steering group on ME research | October 20, 2026