This August, on my 30th birthday, I’m shaving my head to raise money for ME Research UK. I’m doing it for three of the most extraordinary women in my life – Amy, Be (Abbey), and Ella – who are living with ME/CFS (Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome), a devastating life-limiting illness that affects around 400,000 people in the UK alone.

ME is a serious, long-term neurological condition that causes extreme exhaustion, pain, cognitive difficulties, and a host of other symptoms. There is no cure, no approved treatment, and very little support to help manage the condition. Diagnosis is slow and often traumatic – many people are disbelieved by doctors, employers, and even friends and family, because symptoms are invisible and poorly understood.

I first learned of ME in 2017 when my best friend Amy – a hilarious, intelligent and adventurous woman who had served in the Navy and worked on remote islands in wildlife conservation – became too unwell to walk down the stairs to collect her post. Watching my vibrant friend’s life change and seeing her complete her Master’s degree from her bed was both inspiring and equally devastating.

Then came Be. If you know me, you know how much I adore my big sister Be. She’s my soul sister, my best friend, my team. When my sporty sister started experiencing eerily similar symptoms in 2018, I was terrified. That fear turned to fury when her illness was dismissed, misunderstood, and she had to fight to continue doing the job she loved, caring for patients as a radiographer which she had worked so hard for.

In 2024, fellow ocean conservationist and my wonderful friend Ella was also diagnosed and dragged from her work on the beach inspiring young people to care about marine life. This was the final straw.

ME has no known cause, and symptoms vary wildly. Some people can improve over time, but we still don’t know why or how these improvements are possible. We urgently need research to understand what causes ME, how to treat it, and why some people improve while others remain bedbound. The fact that some people get to a point where ME no longer dictates their lives shows there is hope…we just need to research how!

These are the strongest women I've ever met, it continues to shock me that they're able to carry on and remain positive - but, when faced with this sentiment, they respond with 'what other option do we have?'. As biologists, myself, Amy, Be and Ella understand science holds the key to real solutions — not just for them, but for the 20 million people living with ME/CFS worldwide.

These young women have dedicated their lives to medicine and conservation and they deserve their health back so they can continue caring for people and the planet alike.

For me it’s time to stop feeling helpless and find hope…so I’m asking for your help! On my 30th birthday, I’m shaving my head to raise money for ME Research UK and I’d be so grateful if you can help in whatever way you can. Whether you donate a little or a lot, or simply share this page, it would mean the world to me. You’ll not only be making my birthday — you’ll be helping give others a shot at getting their lives back.

SO grateful for your help,

G x