Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (M.E.) is a long-term (chronic), fluctuating, neurological condition that causes symptoms affecting many body systems, more commonly the immune and nervous systems. M.E. affects an estimated 250,000 people in the UK, and around 17 million people worldwide.

People with M.E. experience debilitating pain, severe fatigue and a range of other symptoms associated with post-exertional malaise - the body and brain’s inability to recover after expending even small amounts of energy. With symptoms experienced differently by each person, and the condition varying from mild to severe, one in four people with M.E. are so severely ill they are house or bed-bound in darkened rooms, too ill to take even a single step. Whilst some do recover, it is only after M.E. has stolen years of their lives.

I became ill with M.E. at the age of 9. At the current age of 21, M.E. has impacted my life in so many ways and continues to do so; preventing me from accessing an education or career, impacting my social life and severely limiting my daily activity and ability. But more than anything it leaves me with a bone-aching, unrelenting fatigue.

The fluctuations of this chronic illness mean some days or moments are a little better than others, but too much activity beyond my already low limit sends me into the severe symptoms of post-exertional malaise which can last for several days/weeks or even months and years. So much of this happens behind closed doors, at times M.E. renders me incapable of taking care of myself and in the severest moments I have been completely paralysed by fatigue and pain, unable to even lift my hand or speak.

Over the years I have connected with so many people with the same condition, people who have become close friends, people who have supported me alongside my family. I’m doing this for them, for the millions of us that are sometimes too ill to take a single step. This year I'm taking part in Action for M.E.'s Walk with M.E. 2020 campaign along with my amazing team, aiming to take 10 million steps on behalf of all those too ill, to raise money for this charity which supports thousands of people each year, campaigning to raise awareness of M.E. and working to encourage more high quality biomedical research.

Every penny raised during Walk with M.E. will be doubled, thanks to a generous family trust, so the money you donate will have double the impact for people with M.E.

Thank you!