Accept ME as I am, says sufferer

9:13am Thursday 10th May 2007

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As ME awareness week rolls out a nationwide programme of events, a local mother-of-two with the illness is calling people to help British sufferers by signing an on-line petition.

Ruth Roberts, aged 50, has been affected by ME, Myalgic Encephalopathy, for nearly 11 years.

It's also known as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, which gives an indication of how it affects its 250,000 British suffers.

"It's like having a bad case of flu where your muscles ache and you feel exhausted almost all the time."

"Sufferers frequently don't look ill, so people assume there's nothing wrong with us," said Ruth.

Ruth, who gets around her home village of Llanteg on a mobility scooter, has learned that having ME means that every ounce of energy has to be budgeted.

Ruth knows she is one of the lucky ones. An estimated 60,000 people are so severely affected they are either bed or house-bound, some are unable to tolerate noise or light.

She is a keen local historian, and secretary of the Llanteg Historical Society, and finds she can carry out her research or writing while resting in bed.

"I don't campaign for awareness into ME as much as I should, as I prefer to focus on other things, but as this is ME Awareness Month, it's a good time to make people aware of the illness," she said.

"We sometimes have to explain about our illness to the health professionals, rather than the other way around, so it comes as no surprise that there is no fight for research and treatment.

"There's no cure for ME, and no simple diagnostic test, and it is still viewed by doctors as a psycho-social syndrome and not an organic neurological disorder.

The on-line petition was started by ME sufferer Konstanze Allsopp, and has already attracted over 5,000 signatures.

The petition calls on Tony Blair to get the health service and medical profession to accept the WHO classification.

"The more support we get, the more likely we are to get proper research into the causes, and hopefully, one day, the cure for ME," added Ruth.

*To sign the petition, visit http:/petitions.pm.gov.uk/ME-is-real.

To contact the Mid and West Wales ME Group visit www.midwalesmegroup.org.uk or call the membership secretary, L. M. Jones, on 01970 627290.