Journal of IiMER Volume 10 Issue 1 June 2016 10 Years of Biomedical Research - Invest in ME Dr Leonard A Jason and Zachary Siegel CENTER FOR COMMUNITY RESEARCH, DEPAUL UNIVERSITY, CHICAGO, USA Leonard A. Jason is a professor of clinical and community psychology at DePaul University, director of the Center for Community Research, and the author of Principles of Social Change. - See more at: http://blog.oup.com/2015/02/diseas e-name-chronic-fatigue-syndromeme/#sthash.OYrlnLJU.dpuf 10 years of Invest in ME’s dedication to advocate for a marginalized group and the determination to allocate funds in a neglected field needs to be acknowledged and applauded. This organization has been working in the trenches of ME, and it has been a notable and significant contribution to the field. Invest in ME has been able to increase awareness and disseminate knowledge to scientists, clinicians, and patients within the ME community. With limited resources, but unlimited creativity and imagination, these patients and their supporters have showed the world what can be done. They are an inspiration for the world. Stigma is still associated with too many patients with ME, and this might be partly due to our society’s infatuation with unlimited energy, Zachary Siegel is a research assistant at DePaul University's Center for Community Research. He is also a freelance writer. stamina, and endurance, and in fact, these entities are more alluring than money. Patients with ME continue to encounter scepticism, and this is regrettable, as patients first endure a devastating illness and then they are further victimized by our society’s reaction to them. Far too many scientists and health care workers have been part of the problem, and this has to change. The status quo is not acceptable for patients with ME. It’s only by us collectively being involved in action that the situation will change. And it has changed for many other illness groups, such as people with HIV/AIDS, who demonstrated that it is possible to bring about a sea change in the treatment and respect for people with Invest in ME (Charity Nr. 1114035) www.investinme.org Page 8 of 77
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