ME awareness month, what's going on?

As this month is ME Awareness month, I have decided to put together a series of guest blog posts in order to illustrate that everyone's experience of ME is different, and that anyone can get it at any point in life. I have asked several people to write a blog post to demonstrate what ME has been like for them, and to talk about what they would like other people to know about ME. The blog posts will be shared throughout the month of May and the series will be called 'ME from another perspective', you can find posts in the series by clicking on the menu at the top of my blog. Keep your eyes peeled for uploads, I will be putting them up every few days in May.

I would like to take this opportunity to point you in the direction of some other awareness campaigns which will be going on throughout May.

Blue Sunday

Blue Sunday is an event which has been going on for several years now. Anna, the organiser invites you to have a coffee morning with your friends and family in aid of the ME Association. Guests are asked to bring the amount of money they would normally expect to pay for tea and cake as a donation. You can also take part in the national movement online, by joining in virtually! Here is a link to a blog post where Anna talks about the event in more detail, and here is a link to the online event, for those who are unable to attend an event or host their own. Here is a fundraising page, where you can join the team, or donate to a member of the team! Anna has written about the history of the event here, sorry for the many links!

Team princess

Every year Team Princess get together and do various activities to raise funding for ME research, and awareness of how it affects individuals. Individual princesses support the ME charity of their choice and raise funding/awareness in their own way. Queen Sian has a post all about it on her blog. Specifically there will be an auction of paintings on The Princess and ME facebbok page, this is where you can also keep up to date with what different princesses will be doing. If you would like to become part of team princess it is not to late, please contact Sian @teamprincess4ME on twitter and @teamprincessofficial on instagram. To donate to a princess see their group fundraiser page. Don't forget to look out for the princesses on social media by using the hashtags #theprincessesandme and #teamprincess!

Spoonie survival kits

Look out for a post about this organisation later on in the month. Spoonie Survival Kits are going to be selling awareness wristbands throughout the month of May and a limited number of ME awareness themed kits for sufferers of chronic illnesses. You can find both items in their Etsy shop 100% of sales money from these items will go to the ME Association!

One week about ME on social media

This is where people with ME are asked to share one picture a day about their ME during ME awareness week. Each day has a specific photo topic: smile for ME, your favourite low level activity, something which makes you feel better, get creative with spoons (referencing the spoon theory), something you're preparing for, a hand written message to fellow spoonies, you on a good day. There are also topics to write about each day alongside the photos for example "I wish people without ME would..." The photos are to be shared on social media using the hashtag #1weekaboutME. For the full details see the picture underneath this paragraph.

Go blue for ME

This is organised by the ME Association. Blue is the colour for ME awareness, therefore the public are encouraged to dress up in blue or to do something related to the colour blue for ME awareness day/week. ME awareness day is the 12th of May this year, and ME awareness week is from the 9th-15th. Share your blue antics on social media using the hashtags #GoBLUEME, #MEawareness and #MEawarenessweek! See the image below for more details.

Let me know what you will be doing for ME awareness week, tweet me at @jennyhelenblog or finding me at @jennyhelen_ on instagram!