HEALTH & WELLBEING
moderate, having M.E. has a significant impact on every area of their lives.
“When I was first diagnosed it hit Stuart and the kids really hard,” says Jane. “He was working in London at the time, travelling a lot, and we had to rely heavily on family members. I couldn’t drive, I could hardly walk. I was sleeping 18 hours a day. We wouldn’t have managed without the support of my mum.”
Jane isn’t working at the moment, having recently ceased work as a Senior Lecturer in Midwifery at a UK university, but she hopes to return to part-time work or post- graduate studies in the future.
She supports Action for M.E. by volunteering
as a Trustee while her son Cameron, an U6 form student at Cheltenham College, has got involved with fundraising for the charity.
“Last April he took part in the Devizes to Westminster International Canoe Race, 125 miles over four days” says Jane. “He’d only just turned 17 at the time. Then in September he took part in the Bristol Half marathon. He’s got even more things he wants to do but he is currently focusing on his forthcoming exams.”
In total, Cameron’s efforts raised more than £1,000 for Action for M.E., which relies on donations such as this for its vital work. This includes supporting and empowering people affected by M.E., driving and investing in research, and raising understanding and awareness of the condition by sharing stories like Jane’s.
“The one piece of advice I would give to anyone with M.E. is to never give up,” says Jane. “Prior to having a relapse in 2012, I’d been asked to take part in the opening ceremony for the Olympic Games. I thought that I wouldn’t be able to manage it, but I went with the mind-set that I would just do what I could – and I did it. So keep asking for help when you need it. I had some real lows, but it can get better.”
If you would like to know more about M.E., get support yourself, or find out how you can get involved in fundraising events like Cameron – upcoming challenges include the Bupa London 10,000 (Monday 25 May) or TrekFest (Brecon Beacons in June and Peak District in September) – you can visit
www.actionforme.org.uk or call Action for M.E. team on 0117 927 9551.
www.raf-ff.org.uk
SYMPTOMS OF M.E./CFS M.E. is characterised by a range of symptoms, including: • post-exertional malaise: this is a key feature of the way M.E. affects people, referring to the body’s inability to recover after expending even small amounts of energy
• persistent fatigue and/or pain, which feels very different from ordinary tiredness
• having flu-like symptoms (often called ‘general malaise’ by doctors)
• recurrent sore throat, with or without swollen glands
• sleep disturbance, including unrefreshing sleep and sleep reversal (eg. sleeping from 4am till midday)
• problems with concentration, thinking and memory, commonly called ‘brain fog’
• problems with the nervous system, including poor temperature control, dizziness on standing or sitting up and loss of balance
• digestive difficulties, including nausea, loss of appetite and indigestion
• intolerance and increased sensitivity to bright lights, sounds and smells, and some medications.
Envoy Spring 2015 37
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