M.E. Awareness Day 12th May 2008

The idea of Awareness Day began in 1992. The date of May 12th date was chosen to honour the birthday of Florence Nightingale, the English army nurse who was a pioneer of the Red Cross Movement. Nightingale was virtually bedridden with a painful and fatiguing illness resembling ME/FM/CFS, yet went on to inspiring accomplishments, including the founding of the first School of Nursing.

Now Awareness Day activities take place worldwide in an effort to increase awareness of M.E./FM/CFS and allow patients and organizations to educate the general public, healthcare professionals and government officials. One of the most difficult aspects of having M.E./FM/CFS is that most of the symptoms are invisible, which makes it hard for others to understand what living with this debilitating illness is really like. That's one of the reasons that Awareness Day is so important.

Perhaps M.E. should be rechristened "Nightingale's Disease."

There is a blue ribbon to promote M.E. Awareness,  produced by BRAME (Blue Ribbon for the Awareness of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis) Tel:01493393717 www.brame.org shown here...

So if you see someone wearing a blue ribbon you will know that they have a little knowledge of M.E. and that people are starting to sit up and take notice!

Scottish Charity Number-SC 034122.