Trapped by M.E.
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End the ignorance, injustice and neglect experienced by people with M.E
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Take action with us to stop M.E. stealing lives
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A five-year strategy for change
Be part of our movement for change You can make a difference by: • understanding key facts about M.E. and its impact on those affected • getting involved in social media campaigns to raise knowledge & understanding • sharing your skills, expertise and time to support our work • raising vital funds to enable us to take action for people with M.E. By working with Action for M.E., you can take action to help end the ignorance, injustice and neglect experienced by people whose lives have been stolen by M.E. Together we can secure much needed improvements in health and social care, welfare policy, and research investment. We continue to provide much-needed information and support through our Online M.E. Centre, welfare support service, social media and M.E. Friends Online forum to improve the lives of people with M.E. We are securing funding to launch a new national advocacy service for people with M.E. to increase access to care and support. We are exploring ways to tackle the isolation experienced by people with M.E. We are increasing the work we are doing to enhance knowledge and understanding among health and social care professionals and the public through an extensive education programme. We are planning a programme of work at a global level, leading an International Alliance to seek to secure a mandate for change in the UK and worldwide.
“I’ve always been a hard worker and put in lots of overtime to help pay bills. But I was fired from my job because of the amount of time I had off ill. The loss of earnings had a huge impact on me and I suffered a lot from worrying about keeping a roof over our heads. “On a good day I can do a few things, like help my partner cook a meal. But if I do too much, I know I will suffer the consequences. On bad days, I really can do very little. Exhaustion and even worse pain keep me confined to lying down. Reading a book or watching television is impossible because I cannot concentrate and my head and eyes hurt. “I recently had to apply for Employment and Support Allowance and I can only say it was a nightmare. The person doing the interview did not seem to be listening, often cutting me short when I tried to answer a question more fully. “I contacted Action for M.E. and was blown away by the help and support I was given. If it wasn’t for Action for M.E., I would never have got through the process of claiming benefits. I cannot emphasise enough how valuable this was.” Richard, who has M.E.
Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (M.E.) is a long-term, chronic, neurological disease and can strike anyone, of any age, at any time. People with M.E. experience severe, persistent fatigue associated with post-exertional malaise, the body’s inability to recover after expending even small amounts of energy. Other fluctuating symptoms include severe pain, problems with concentration, thinking and memory (collectively known as “brain fog”), sleep disorders, hypersensitivity to light, sound or touch, poor circulation and digestive problems. A quarter of people have very severe M.E. and remain house and/or bedbound for many years. Contact us to find out how you can join our movement for change and take action for people with M.E. now.
42 Temple Street Keynsham BS31 1EH General enquiries: 0117 927 9551 Email: admin@actionforme.org.uk Welfare Advice and Support Service: 0800 138 6544 Email: welfare@actionforme.org.uk www.actionforme.org.uk www.facebook.com/actionforme www.twitter.com/actionforme Registered charity in England and Wales no. 1036419 Registered in Scotland no. SC040452 Company limited by guarantee, registered in England no. 2906840 ©Action for M.E. 2016