In January, I will have my 80th birthday.
For many years I have swum my age in lengths (in a 25 metre pool) to
celebrate. In fact I have swum 80 lengths for the last two years so I
decided that this year I would have a go at doing 100. After all, I don’t
suppose I’ll be able to swim 100 lengths when I’m 100 so I thought I would try while I still have a reasonable chance!

I am supporting two good causes which I feel strongly about -
The UK ME/CFS Biobank CureME team (my daughter has M.E.) and
Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP) 
https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/janet-baker-medicalaidforpalestinians

The CureME team has a simple mission: to understand ME/CFS. The causes of the disease remain unknown, but up to 250,000 people in the UK (and up to 17 million worldwide) have their lives changed by the condition.
Despite the impact it has on lives and families, ME/CFS continues to receive little government funding.

We have an amazing resource of blood samples from people with ME. The UK ME/CFS Biobank is the first ME/CFS-specific biobank in Europe, and one of the first in the world. It has collected over 30,000 aliquots (small tubes) of blood from patients with ME/CFS and multiple sclerosis (as well as healthy controls), using rigorous and consistent scientific protocols. 

We need further funding to enable us to release our samples to researchers around the world, searching for the biomarkers of ME/CFS, and to ensure the long-term sustainability of the Biobank as a resource.

All donations directly support our group’s work, helping enhance and expand our research and ensuring project sustainability. If you are a UK Taxpayer, your kind donation is Gift Aid eligible.

Thank you for helping support sustainable ME/CFS research into the future. More information about us can be found at www.cureme.lshtm.ac.uk.