Journal of IiME Volume 7 Issue 1 (May 2013) Few who have any knowledge or experience of myalgic encephalomyelitis, whether from a personal or professional perspective, would dispute the urgent need for reliable bookmarkers for early and accurate diagnosis and provision of effective medical treatments for this organic chronic disease. Accurate information, guidance, education and training for patients, public, medical professionals, and other service providers, needs to be made available meanwhile to avoid unnecessary suffering. The Let's do it for ME campaign was launched by a small group of people with severe ME in July 2011 in support of the proposal by Invest in ME to establish a centre of excellence for ME based in East Anglia and the first of its kind in UK/Europe. We commend the forward-planning and joined up thinking to combine translational biomedical research with patient care and education and training for medical professionals, in collaboration with international researchers and like-minded ME organisations across the world, and the clear focus on infection and immunity. We are keen to help progress research and treatment, not only to benefit ourselves as patients, but also to avoid losing another generation to the ravages of this disease. We have no more time to lose. We wished to assist in a practical way by raising the £100k needed to fund the foundation project to get the research strategy underway in Norwich. We were delighted to receive supportive comments for our Guest book or by other means, from some of our MPs; the Countess of Mar, Chair of the Forward ME group; and Jane Colby, Executive Director of The Young ME Sufferers Trust. Empowerment is a key element driving the campaign and it has been very rewarding to see children and young people in particular, as well as the very severely affected, able to play a role in speaking out about their disabling illness and how it is viewed and treated by society and the medical profession, Invest in ME (Charity Nr. 1114035) whilst taking such positive steps to raise funds for the translational biomedical research required to bring realistic hope for their recovery, with support of well friends and family members. As we expect to reach the initial fund-raising target by the end of May or thereabouts, we will have raised £100k in under two years. This is no mean feat, starting from scratch from our homes and beds, with no campaign budget or publicity. Every penny raised goes to the IIME Biomedical Research Fund; any competition prizes or similar resources are donated. Every penny raised goes to the IIME Biomedical Research Fund We could not have achieved this without the tremendous efforts of a wide range of supporters, from very severely ill survivors to wonderful willing wellies. We are genuinely delighted and appreciative of any types and all levels of support, and there have been too many ingenious, innovative, creative, generous, courageous and inspiring ideas, events and contributions to highlight them all individually. Our supporters hail from all corners of the UK, Europe, USA, Australia, NZ, and over 3500 votes in April won IIME 1st prize of £2000 in The Big Break contest run by Direct Debit. Writer Jacqueline Rayner is a founder member of our planning group. She had been planning with her friends and colleagues at Big Finish Productions to produce a charity audio play for download in aid of IIME, based on the character of Bernice Summerfield: Many Happy Returns. Not content with that, producer Scott ran the Edinburgh Marathon for IIME, Simon donated funds www.investinme.org Page 14 of 36
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