Blogging for ME/CFS Awareness 2008
Posted by rachelcreative on April 18, 2008
When you have ME/CFS it can be hard enough to manage basic daily tasks let alone finding ways to be an activist for fair treatment, research and so on of your illness.
International ME/CFS Awareness Day is on 12 May 2008. If you’re short on energy or ideas on how to do your bit why not join me in blogging on (or around) that date about ME/CFS.
Blog for ME/CFS
To join in:
- Leave a comment on this post to tell me you’re going to try to blog for ME/CFS Awareness with a link to your blog
- Blog on (or around) 12th May 2008 about ME/CFS. Anything you like - blog about classic symptoms, what life is like with mild, moderate or severe ME, attitudes of other people to your illness (and you), the challenges you face, the joys you have despite being chronically ill. Anything that will raise awareness - even if it’s just a link to a site that tells people more about the illness
- Leave a comment once you’ve blogged so I can list your post (I’ll compile a list here and you’ll have even more chances for people to find your blog)
FULL 2008 BLOG POST ARCHIVE HEREand at the end of this post
Whether you are ill, in remission, now well, a carer, a health professional, a friend, colleague or family member of someone with ME/CFS you can blog to raise awareness. If you’re diagnosis is CFS (Chronic Fatigue Syndrome), M.E. (Mylagic Encephalomyelitis/Encephalopathy), PVFS (Post Viral Fatigue Syndrome), CFIDS (Chronic Fatigue and Immune Disorder Syndrome), FMS, Fibromyalgia, MCSD (Multiple Chemical Sensitivity), or you think you have one of these I know you have something to say. May 12th is also International Fibromyalgia Day!
Code to Link Back Here
To link to to this post you can copy this code:
<a href="http://rachelcreative.wordpress.com/2008/04/18/blogging-for-me-cfs-2008blogging-for-me-cfs-2008/">Blogging for ME/CFS Awareness 2008</a>
Banners/Badges
You can use my ME/CFS Awareness Day ribbon pictures on your own blog or web site.
Either save a copy or see this post for code.
I have small, medium and large badges on both a white and an orange background with a blue ribbon for ME.
Bloggers for ME/CFS Awareness
- ashysheela
- cinderkeys
- cusp
- Donimo
- Elizabeth McClung
- JoWynn
- Life As We Know It
- lilwatchergirl
- NMJ
- Maggie
- Maija Haavisto
- Mick: From the Tram
- Paul Groves
- RachelCreative
- RachelM
- reading the signs
- seahorse
- Zarii
BLOG POSTS FOR ME/CFS AWARENESS 2008
Ashysheela - International ME/CFS Awareness Day
Cinderkeys - A Song for CFIDS - Everybody Knows About Me and hear the song here
Cusp - Must Try Harder
Donimo - Fibromyalgia Awareness Day
Elizabeth McClung - Blogging for CFS/ME: Honor those to whom honor is due
JoWynn - ME-CFS Awareness Day
Life As We Know It - Happy Awareness Day
NMJ - The State Of Me Publication Date
Maggie - International ME/CFS Awareness Day 2008
Maija Haavisto - CFS/ME awareness day 2008
Mick: From the Tram - <a href=”
Paul Groves - Controversial, ME? Whatever could you mean?
RachelCreative - What is ME/CFS?
RachelM - ME/CFS Awareness Day and see her photo posting Long Driveway
Reading The Signs - Coming of Age
Zarii - Chronically Fatigued Blogging for M.E. Day ~ 12th May 2008
April 18, 2008 at 6:39 pm
[...] Supporting Blogging Against Disablism Day 1 May 2008 Blogging for ME/CFS Awareness 12 May 2008 [...]
April 19, 2008 at 3:04 pm
As usual, you are wonderful!
Thank you very much for organising this project. My voice is too soft to be heard, but when a lots of soft voices get together, it surely becomes powerful voice. I’m also interested in getting to know fellow MEites and people with similar conditions through this porject.
April 19, 2008 at 4:22 pm
That’s if any happen along Rachel! ;o)
It might just be between friends. And thanks.
April 20, 2008 at 11:11 am
Will try & do my bit too & help Rachel M ROARRRRR! lol
April 20, 2008 at 11:11 am
Count me in, obviously
April 20, 2008 at 11:47 am
PS: Have posted the link twice & some of ur lovely badges of my site!
April 20, 2008 at 1:30 pm
Yeah! Thanks Zarii. Thanks Paul :o)
April 21, 2008 at 7:47 pm
My big problem is I forget. Every year. But having seen this I’ll put a reminder in my phone…
April 24, 2008 at 2:12 pm
I’ll be doing this, along with Blogging Against Disablism day - great double feature. I’ll do the linkback and put the banner up this week.
April 24, 2008 at 7:48 pm
Seahorse I know what you mean about remembering! :o)
Lilwatchergirl Great! I’m doing both too. Great to have you on board :o)
April 30, 2008 at 4:14 pm
I’ll try and get to it, but am going to the MERUK conference in Cambridge next week, so may be too knackered.
Rather got out of blogging at the mo as just have too much stuff going on at the mo. 
April 30, 2008 at 5:27 pm
Hi Maggie. I think we all have the “if we’re able to” caveat :o)
May 1, 2008 at 6:47 pm
Yep count me in too
May 7, 2008 at 9:44 am
Hi Rachel,
Thank you for creating this site. I stumbled across it by Googling “International M.E. Day” - a very lucky stumble…
I’m not able to do much at the mo (5 years of M.E. - the last 8 months pure hell!) but have cut and pasted your Awareness Day logo, thanks again ;-), and will be appending it to all emails up until the 12th - and probably beyond…
Good to ‘meet’ you,
Catherine
May 7, 2008 at 3:06 pm
Hi Rachel,
I will try to do my bit and blog something for 12th May. I’m glad I found this site. Thank you.
May 8, 2008 at 9:54 am
Cusp - Great! Good to have you here
Catherine - Poor you! I hope this hellish phase passes quickly. Glad the logo has been of use to you :o)
Reading The Signs - I’m glad you found me :o)
May 8, 2008 at 9:58 am
I’ll be compiling a list in a blog post of all the blogs we manage to do on May 12th. I’m in the UK so I might be a bit behind or a bit ahead of your time zone.
Also hubbie has a big birthday this weekend and we’re away this weekend so I may be a bit slow getting going on the day itself.
If you leave a comment pointing to your post then we’ll all be able to find it (and I’ll compile a list as soon as I can).
And thanks for wanting to do this with me. Even if on the day you’re not able to we all understand what it’s like. You come before M.E.
May 9, 2008 at 6:46 am
Greetings Rachel - just to say that it doesn’t look as though the link is going through to my site. I had a look at the others and they seem ok. Just thought I should let you know.
May 9, 2008 at 6:49 am
The reason might be that my complete URL was not appearing on the website box. I’ve now copied it in. My technical knowhow just about stretches to this
May 9, 2008 at 9:37 pm
Hi Rachel! I just need to check with you that it’s ok (copyright wise)and ur intention for any MEite or supporter to use/copy you ribbons & blog about the illness on ME Day, or leading up to it? I need to verify as heaps of Facebook people want to use it and I have given credit to you on Foggy Faces as the creator already. A mutual friend of ours was concerned, so I wanted to double check, other than understanding that it is fine already! Maybe I have it all foggied up!
I will post the URL to here on FB too - that will really help raise awareness - we have 88 members so far. Thank you muchly. Sorry to be a bother. Zarii/Pixi 
May 9, 2008 at 11:23 pm
hi have added your badge to my face book and sending out ribbons to remind all i know doest seem like much sorry but struggling to get along
hugs to all
m
May 10, 2008 at 1:28 am
Thanks so much Rachel for creating these awareness ribbons and sharing them with us all.I really wanted to show some kind of awareness for May 12th on my Facebook page but dont have great I.C.T. skills and don’t feel too great at the min so was really struggling so when I came across your ribbon logo I was delighted and now have it proudly displayed on my page.Thank you.I have M.E. probably had it for many years but have only been diagnosed 3 years when I became very bad with it.I dont know about others but I always want to do more to raise awareness and even funds but I am so not able to as I feel so ill at the min it’s very frustrating so thanks a million for this! Hang on in there everyone!
May 10, 2008 at 1:30 pm
Reading The Signs - Ooops! I just copied it from the comment and didn’t check. I’ve fixed it now :o) Thanks!
Zarii - YES! Use and distribute and re-distribute. My only limitation is not to produce merchandise or use it for making money without asking me first. But for use on personal blogs, web sites, profiles and so on - yes yes yes! Thanks for spreading the word.
I made the ribbon last year because RachelM wanted a way to show support easily when not well enough to DO very much.
Maya - Thanks for leaving a comment. I’m glad the ribbon is useful for you. I think we all understand what it’s like when you’re struggling.
Claire - Thanks for leaving me a comment and using the ribbon. I was so shocked when I looked last year and couldn’t find anything like this to just display to show some support so that’s why I did it. I’m really pleased it’s being used :o)
May 11, 2008 at 2:51 pm
hi!
I have started a blog for International ME Awareness Day 2008! still getting the hang of it but composing something for tomorrow and will post later on today/tomorrow… nicked a ribbon but could not make it into a link… will be a learning curve
looking forward to reading everyone elses!
Ashy
http://ashy00.wordpress.com/
May 11, 2008 at 5:09 pm
[...] May 11, 2008 Blogging for ME/CFS Awareness 2008 [...]
May 11, 2008 at 5:14 pm
Hey Rachel, This is a lovely banner, I have seen it here and there,
and it reminded me of May 12. I will post your banner but prob not blog about ME tomorrow - my novel The State of Me is coming out soon, and I hope I have said it all there! It has been an utterly chaotic journey getting to publication, I may be able to post the actual July date tomorrow, but not sure yet. I hope The State of Me can educate people through fiction. with all good wishes. Nasim
May 11, 2008 at 5:51 pm
My post is up now, Rachel. You can find it here.
I look forward to reading all the other contributions.
May 12, 2008 at 9:05 am
Hi Rachel
My post is up as well. Thank you for organising this.
ME/CFS Awareness Day
May 12, 2008 at 9:40 am
Hi there Rachel,
My post is up:
Maggie
May 12, 2008 at 9:45 am
Sorry, messed that up didn’t I? !!
http://liverpool-leftovers.blogspot.com/2008/05/international-mecfs-awareness-day-2008.html
I’m no good at html I’m afraid so this prob won’t work either. If so I’m afraid I’ll have to ask you to pick up the url from my blog. Still brain-fogged after all the travelling to Cambridge and London and back on Saturday.
Maggie
May 12, 2008 at 1:02 pm
Ashy - How exciting! You’ve started your own blog. :o) I will be over now to have a nosey.
Nmj - Congratulations on completing your novel and getting it to publication. And thanks for your comment. Glad the banner is useful to you :o)
Reading The Signs - Thanks! I’ve added it to the list and I’ll be by shortly to read your post too :o)
Rachel - Thanks. It’s my pleasure to organise something for today. It’s a great feeling to know we’re doing something together. I shall stop by your blog shortly.
Maggie - Thanks for the link. Found it no problems :o) Be over to yours in a bit to read your post.
May 12, 2008 at 3:11 pm
Phew!
Mine’s up too…thanks to RM for rescuing my IT problems…Mmmwah to you all. Now I’m away to bed…it’s already tomorrow here…!
May 12, 2008 at 3:58 pm
Thanks Zarii! I just read your post and it’s great! Sweet dreams :o)
May 14, 2008 at 12:04 am
Good idea!
here’s a link to my blog:
http://www.livewithcfs.blogspot.com
May 14, 2008 at 7:00 am
Shoot, I wish I’d seen this before yesterday, but I did blog about CFIDS/ME Awareness Day here:
cinderbridge.blogspot.com.
My band, Cinder Bridge, also has a song up on Myspace about living with undiagnosed CFIDS/ME (though it could apply to a range of invisible illnesses): myspace.com/cinderbridge
I’m bookmarking this page so I’ll have it for next year. Or for anything that happens between now and then, for that matter. Thanks for doing this!
May 14, 2008 at 10:09 am
Sue - Thanks for the link to your blog. I don’t see a post for ME/CFS Awareness specifically (unless I am being really brainless which is possible). If you get chance to write a little something let us know and I’ll add a link to the post to the list.
Doesn’t have to be a huge post and I for one am not bothered if it’s not on the actual day.
I know a couple of British ME patient groups here use the whole month of May as ME Awareness.
Thanks for your post and link about LDN - interesting stuff.
Cinderkeys - Well you’ve found us now! I’ve added your CFIDS awareness post to the list and left you a comment too.
Yes I think we should do this again next year. It will 12 May 2009. Unless of course anyone else wants to host it or I find someone else doing something similiar so we can unite :o)
May 14, 2008 at 2:40 pm
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