Because of the pressure of work, I’ve been unable to write anything for ME Awareness Day (or even week) this year. I’ve written a few articles over the past year, the two most important events of which have been the release of Voices from the Shadows and the sad death of Emily Collingridge.
Danni Brennand (who has severe ME as well as autism) has posted some links of her own, as well as four articles about how ME affects her, at Dannilion.com.
Some articles I’ve written:
Fear-free Healthcare — an idea for a campaign to make healthcare safe for people with ME and other chronic illnesses and disabling conditions
On Vocationalism — A follow-up to that piece, addressing the misconception that people go into nursing or medicine out of a sense of vocation
Emily Rose Collingride, 1981-2012 — My obituary for Emily, author of Severe ME/CFS: A Guide to Living (you can join the Facebook group related to the book here, if you’re on Facebook)
“If Rod Liddle wants ME, he can have mine” — A response to a ridiculous piece in the Sun newspaper from January
My review of Voices from the Shadows — Also, a write-up of the question and answer session following the showing at the British Library last December
Likening ME to AIDS is irresponsible — A response to a claim that XMRV (and therefore ME) is contagious, made at an ME conference last year
The Times, Wessely and the ME Community — My response to the “death threats” controversy of last summer
Some other articles that have been written about ME in the last year:
Even Caged Birds Sing, by Susannah Grace — About the sense of loss that comes with losing years of your life to a chronic illness
These Small Candles, by Laurel Bertrand (at Dreams at Stake)
Silent Screams by Imraan Sumar — ME likened to a prison, and with particular reference to Emily Collingridge
ME is often dismissed — but sufferers like Emily Collingride are dying, by Scott Jordan Harris, a film reviewer who has ME
Life in the Shadows — A review of Voices from the Shadows, also by Scott Harris
Enough — One woman’s struggle to get a diagnosis in the face of doctors’ obsession with psychological explanations. (She was diagnosed early on with ME, although that was discounted and she was recently re-diagnosed with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome.)
All in the Mind? by Sonia Poulton — Exposing some myths about ME, following a conversion after watching Voices from the Shadows
The Journey and It’s All in Your Head, by Sue Marsh — Not about ME (author has Crohn’s disease) but both of great relevance to the ME community
Emily Collingridge’s Appeal — posted in early 2011, but reposted at her mother’s request after her death.
Some videos:
Stuff People Say to ME Sufferers — by Becki Luscombe. Great satire on media attitudes to ME.
Some general links:
Tymes Trust — a small charity which helps young ME sufferers, especially those caught up in the social service system and having difficulty with school
25% ME Group — a charity which supports the severely affected
ME Association — good for news and support information for people affected by ME in the UK
Voices from the Shadows — A film exposing the abuse of people with severe ME in the UK, by the mother and brother of a sufferer. Released last year.
Possibly Related Posts:
- Anti-vaxers, ME and desperate people
- Ed Balls
- Seven Years in the Making
- Simon Wessely: more sinning than sinned against
- Punish bad nurses, but don’t let the bosses off the hook
