The main focus of this post is to show you in a step-by-step way how you can edit MEpedia. I was very happy to recently discover the MEpedia website, I think it is a wonderful way to bring the community together and make our voices heard. If you have not heard of this wonderful resource yet, do go have a look! 

In a nutshell, ME-pedia.org is a knowledge base powered by the patient community. It was founded by MEAction and relies on crowd-sourcing to build an encyclopedia on the history, science and medicine of ME and CFS. Anybody can get involved and help populate the website with relevant content. Yes, even you!

That means patients, carers, charities, scientists and advocates all working together to create one huge bank of information about ME/CFS! A place where anybody can go to find answers, community and support. Brilliant!

Welcome to my first guest post in this new series where we will explore the impact of chronic illness and disability on our daily lives. Illness can have devastating effects not only on our own lives and bodies, but also on those closest to us.

Despite this, you might be surprised to find out just how resilient and courageous people with chronic conditions are. We weren't really given a choice in the matter, we have to quickly learn to adapt in spite of harsh conditions. I hope you will enjoy this series and perhaps even learn a few tricks on how you might improve your quality of life.

Advocacy ​/ Fundraising Ideas ​& Resources

​May 12 is ME Awareness Day, a global day of ​​advocacy and fundraising by people with ME, their carers, family and friends​. These events are located in many city squares around the world, and also virtually on social media for those too ill to go out. Unfortunately many patients are too ill to leave their beds or use social media and would be lost and ​without hope if ​it weren't for the able bodied supporters who take their places at these rallies and make some noise for those of us too ill to do it ourselves. We need all the help we can get!

When I was first diagnosed with ​Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, I felt lost. It's a condition I had never heard of before and my doctor didn't seem to know much about it either. What got me through was the support of other patients I found online. And they continue to be my support as the years go by! For this reason I have created a community online for people with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME) or Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) and their carers.

It consists of a few places on social media where ​people with ME or CFS and their carers can share ​relevent content to help support the ME/CFS community.

My hope is that newly diagnosed patients, or anybody struggling to manage life with ME, would not struggle as much as some of us have to find the support and resources available to them. 

Every Wednesday the ME community comes together on Twitter to raise awareness of this debilitating chronic illness. We share recent media coverage, research news, our personal experiences and more. Making new connections and supporting each other. I often join in and share various ME awareness pictures during that hour.

​Below you will find the graphics I shared during the last ME Awareness Hour. I hope this will help you understand what life is like with ME/CFS. If you have learned something new or find this post might be helpful in any way, please share it or download the images to share on social media and help raise awareness.