Each year Mirus staff volunteer to give up their valuable spare time to train then test their own limits/fears to raise money for charity. This year we will be doing the lake district ultra challenge for our chosen charity AYME

The challenge will involve the staff completing the following in just one day.

· Paddle the length of Ullswater from Pooley Bridge to Glenridding (sea kayaks) which is approximately 7.5 miles long

· Bike from Glenridding over Kirkstone Pass to Hodge Close by Coniston. Approximately 18 miles depending the route

· Undertake a 120ft abseil

· Bike to the foot of Old Man Coniston Approximately 5 miles depending the route

· Ascend Old Man of Coniston

· Open water swim in Coniston Water to finish

Please support our staff by donating towards this fantastic cause

For more details about AYME please see link and details below

the Association of Young People with ME

http://www.ayme.org.uk

ME is a recognised relapsing and remitting medical condition with many complex fluctuating symptoms. Its existence is confirmed in the January 2002 report by the Chief Medical Officer of England and Wales (downloadable from the Department of Health web site at www.doh.gov.uk/cmo - for Scotland see the Scottish CMO report published February 2002 http://www.show.scot.nhs.uk/). The report states that ME is: ""¦ a genuine illness and imposes a substantial burden on the health of the UK population" (Chapter 1 page 1) and ""¦is a quite common, very heterogeneous condition of adults and children that lacks specific disease markers but is clinically recognisable." (Annex 6 page 1).

ME stands for Myalgic Encephalopathy (My-al-jik En-kefa-lop-athy)

The term Myalgic Encephalopathy indicates the pain in the muscles, neurological problems and general suffering that accompany this illness:

Myalgic: Greek origin meaning muscle
Encephalo: Greek origin meaning brain
Pathy: meaning suffering or sickness

There is no known cause of ME as yet, although in young people it most commonly follows persistent viral infection. It is often referred to as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) or Post Viral Fatigue Syndrome (PVFS).

Sometimes ME is still referred to by an older version of the name: Myalgic Encephalomyelitis. However, this is technically incorrect because the term 'myelitis' means inflammation of the brain and there is no inflammation found in the brain of ME patients. This was discussed by the doctors involved in the Chief Medical Officer's steering group and they agreed that 'pathy' was a more correct definition.

Symptoms of ME/CFS

What are the symptoms?

There is no predictable pattern to ME/CFS. The profusion of symptoms can be confusing and alarming and symptoms can fluctuate greatly over short periods of time.

Fatigue: Utter exhaustion, often to the point of collapse, totally different from the normal tiredness healthy people experience. Fatigue levels fluctuate over the day and are different from patient to patient. Pallor of the skin may be evident when fatigue is worst. If standing, some patients may need to sit or lie down very quickly wherever they are. Many patients experience post-exertional malaise (the delayed onset of fatigue) after too much activity. Persistent fatigue must be present for a diagnosis to be made but is not always the worst symptom.

Pain: Anywhere in the body but particularly headaches and intense muscle and joint pain, especially in the lower limbs, which is usually difficult to relieve with standard painkillers. Skin sensations such as skin crawling and pins and needles may be felt.

Cognitive impairment: Poor short- and medium-term memory, mental confusion and mental fatigue; the brain seems to run out of steam. Difficulty concentrating, word-finding and thinking. Inability to plan. These symptoms together are commonly called 'brain fog'.

Other symptoms: Body temperature disturbance, dizziness, vertigo, postural hypotension, sensitivity to light and noise. Possibility of sleep disturbance, nausea, loss of appetite, gastrointestinal disturbance, mood swings, panic and anxiety, acquired sensitivity to food, medication, alcohol and chemicals.