My partner has CFS/ME (Chronic Fatigue Syndrome / Myalgic Encephalopathy), among other conditions.

 He and I used to walk, run, hike, cycle, train, ski, surf together, we invented a favorite game of frisbee tennis and he was an avid diver. We were fortunate to enjoy  14 years of this. For the past 4+ years, following a car collision, he has suffered from CFS and been forced to lead a very sedentary and often isolating life. Often he can not get out of bed, let alone up a single flight of stairs and is in pain every single day. He can not chase his daughter around the garden/house, dance or enjoy the thrill of exhilarating adventures out in nature . 

My mother has had ME for 20+ years. Prior to this she was full of energy; taught aerobics, danced, ran for years - she once ran both up and back down Ben Nevis! Having ME means she must lead a very careful, pacing, resting, often isolated life, not able to partake in many social activities and if she does, like my partner, they must rest to prepare and then accept the "crash" that follows.

"Fatigue" doesn't come close to describing this debilitating illness . The myriad of symptoms associated include; muscle and joint pain, cognitive impairment, disordered sleep, gastric disturbances...and more. As a result it affects not just the individual but whole families.

One of the main reasons I am fundraising for the ME Association is that they push to have ME/CFS recognised as the neurological condition which it is. For so many years sufferers have been told it is "all in the mind" as the tools to  diagnose a patient were not available. Now, thankfully, we are making progress but awareness needs to grow!  

There are at least 250000 suffers in the UK alone, with invisible symptoms. The ME Association helps, supports and fights for these people, too exhausted and in pain to do so alone.  

Thank you for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page. If you would like to/ are able to please donate or share this.

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Thank you, Anwen