The Observer: Friday, January 16, 2009
A daring woman, who has a condition where she suffers from extreme tiredness, is gearing up for a marathon to help ME victims.
Karen Roach, 41, will lace her trainers for the London Marathon, on Sunday, April 26.
Ms Roach, of the Hawthorns, Colnbrook, can tire out quickly, and has enlisted the help of a trainer to help her in the run-up to the race.
She said: “I’m excited about it. I am quite rigid with my training and I have a lot of support. However there is a little bit of nervousness.”
Her world was turned upside down in July 2008, when she started to experience extreme tiredness. After several GP and specialist’s appointments she was diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS), another name for ME which devastates the lives of around 250,000 people in the UK.
After being diagnosed she was restricted to her bed, saying she felt frustrated at not being able to do anything. But after four months off work and through the support of her GP, a change of diet, she was able to manage her health and return to her job at PricewaterhouseCoopers.
She is now hoping to raise £2,500 and cash raised will go to Action4ME which has provided her with information and support which assisted her transition back to full-time work.
She said: “I consider myself one of the privileged few who is able to managed this illness and return to full-time work. As a result I have decided to give something back to Action4ME in raising funds for the charity by running in the London Marathon, as they are a valuable resource for sufferers of CFS.”
She is hoping to boost funds by hosting a Salsa & Tropical Moves Party on Saturday, April 4. It will coincide with her birthday and guests will learn different dance. Log on www.justgiving.com/karenroach for more information about the party or to sponsor her.
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Thursday, 29 January 2009
Thursday, 5 June 2008
ME sufferers lobby Fiona
Slough Observer 29th May
Patients have lobbied their MP to try to secure services for ME in Slough.
People with ME or chronic fatigue syndrome, spoke to Slough MP Fiona MacTaggart, to discuss their needs and ask for their support in getting the Berkshire East Primary Care Trust (PCT) to make specialist provisions for people with ME, or Fibromyalgia in the area.
Eileen Shoosmith, the group co-ordinator, of Reading Area ME Support Group said:
One of the real problems with ME and FM, is that they are invisible illnesses, many people with the illness look well, but certainly don't feel that way.
The group talked about issues, that affected their health, and the lack of provision for effective treatments, at the meeting on Monday.
An ME needs assessment is to be completed this month, then funding will be decided on by the PCT.
There is an ongoing campaign for ME/FM services in Berkshire.
For more information, please contact Eileen.
Patients have lobbied their MP to try to secure services for ME in Slough.
People with ME or chronic fatigue syndrome, spoke to Slough MP Fiona MacTaggart, to discuss their needs and ask for their support in getting the Berkshire East Primary Care Trust (PCT) to make specialist provisions for people with ME, or Fibromyalgia in the area.
Eileen Shoosmith, the group co-ordinator, of Reading Area ME Support Group said:
One of the real problems with ME and FM, is that they are invisible illnesses, many people with the illness look well, but certainly don't feel that way.
The group talked about issues, that affected their health, and the lack of provision for effective treatments, at the meeting on Monday.
An ME needs assessment is to be completed this month, then funding will be decided on by the PCT.
There is an ongoing campaign for ME/FM services in Berkshire.
For more information, please contact Eileen.
Thursday, 22 May 2008
Fighting for ME recognition
Slough Observer
An ME sufferer whose life was turn upside down after being diagnosed with the condition, wants people to take the illness more seriously.
Caroline Wynn had it all, a loving husband and career, but all that changed, when she was diagnosed with ME in 2004.
Myalgic Encephalitis (ME) causes muscle pain, and intense mental and physical exhaustion. Every patient is different, but for Mrs Wynn, the condition means she has to take medication every day to prevent her legs and feet going into spasm.
The 42 year old from Stoke Road, Slough said, 'When you have ME, energy becomes a luxury - I am not talking about not having enough energy to run around, but not having enough energy to go to the bathroom, or make cereal. It all took a toll on my relationship with my partner, because instead of being my husband, he became my carer.
I felt awful because it wasn't fair on him. He put on a brave face, and said it was okay, but I knew he wasn't happy, so I decided to end the marriage in 2006, because we would have ended up hating each other.
The former warden, at an elderly housing shelter, now wants to share her story to mark ME Awareness Week this week.
She added ' I used to be very active, I loved going dancing, and I miss that alot now, but I have managed to get through it by keeping positive. We do get a rough deal, but I want everyone to know that people with 'ME' aren't just tired, its a serious condition that needs help.
She will join members of the Reading Area ME Support Group on Monday, where they will lobby Slough MP Fiona McTaggart for more specialist care of the condition.
She said, I think that the closest specialist care of ME is in Oxfordshire, and the thing with people who have ME, that we can't travel for miles and miles.
We need care closer to home, because the problem is that not that enough GP's understand ME.
They think we are just tired or depressed, but the condition is much more complicated than that.
An ME sufferer whose life was turn upside down after being diagnosed with the condition, wants people to take the illness more seriously.
Caroline Wynn had it all, a loving husband and career, but all that changed, when she was diagnosed with ME in 2004.
Myalgic Encephalitis (ME) causes muscle pain, and intense mental and physical exhaustion. Every patient is different, but for Mrs Wynn, the condition means she has to take medication every day to prevent her legs and feet going into spasm.
The 42 year old from Stoke Road, Slough said, 'When you have ME, energy becomes a luxury - I am not talking about not having enough energy to run around, but not having enough energy to go to the bathroom, or make cereal. It all took a toll on my relationship with my partner, because instead of being my husband, he became my carer.
I felt awful because it wasn't fair on him. He put on a brave face, and said it was okay, but I knew he wasn't happy, so I decided to end the marriage in 2006, because we would have ended up hating each other.
The former warden, at an elderly housing shelter, now wants to share her story to mark ME Awareness Week this week.
She added ' I used to be very active, I loved going dancing, and I miss that alot now, but I have managed to get through it by keeping positive. We do get a rough deal, but I want everyone to know that people with 'ME' aren't just tired, its a serious condition that needs help.
She will join members of the Reading Area ME Support Group on Monday, where they will lobby Slough MP Fiona McTaggart for more specialist care of the condition.
She said, I think that the closest specialist care of ME is in Oxfordshire, and the thing with people who have ME, that we can't travel for miles and miles.
We need care closer to home, because the problem is that not that enough GP's understand ME.
They think we are just tired or depressed, but the condition is much more complicated than that.
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