I feel so awkward trying to raise funds for charity. I can't do any impressive marathon runs, I can't stand up long enough to bake a cake to sell, I can't give up anything as things like alcohol, sugar or any nice consumables are all long out of my life.  I can only ask politely in a pretty please big eyed kind of way.

If it was just about me I wouldn't be so bold...but these past few months have underlined the importance of doing all that I can to push more biomedical research.  For my children and yours to be spared having to endure this ridiculously cruel illness.

For my son's class mate (8yrs old) - who has missed his lessons since 2017.

For my friends daughter (now 16) - who has missed out on so much education falling ill at 10.  She never got to attend comprehensive school and is now isolated with hardly any reach into the outside world.

For my friend (50) - who has missed out so much quality of life being entirely bedridden for 15 years and dependent on carers for her every personal task.  She is now faced with transitioning to tube feeding as she is too weak to swallow.

For Ian Rudd (aged 40) - entirely bedridden for almost 20 years with his body slowly and painfully weakening before his sad death earlier this year.

For Anne Ortegren - who campaigned so effectively from her bed for  more biomedical research but who herself sadly lost the fight to ME a few months ago.

For Bob Courtney - who was a brilliant advocate for ME, fighting injustice and poor treatment of sufferers.  Bob died this year and will be very missed.

And also for my own children - who have missed out on having a Mum that can play with them, a Mum that can go out of the house with them and hold their hands when they cross the road, a Mum that can pick them up and hold them if they're hurt, a Mum that can read more than a few pages of a bed time story without having to stop as the exertion of reading has pushed her too deep into pain.  

So...what I'm saying is....er...pretty please? The tiniest of donations can make a big difference.  

Thank you so much for reading this.  And if you do decide to donate, it really will mean the world to me.  Thank you x