When I was 29 I suddenly became ill. It was as if someone had turned off my energy tap, and left it to only drip slowly. Over the next few years it was difficult to live normally. I struggled to do many everyday things, and even when I slept well I continued to feel unnaturally tired. Despite going to numerous medical appointments with different specialists, no one seemed to know what was wrong with me or have a solution to it. Although I tried to keep looking for ways to move forward, to be honest there were plenty of days when I was in despair.

Wonderfully, after four years I started to get better particularly after following the result of an exclusion diet. In contrast to how suddenly it had begun, my energy only came back bit by bit, but it did progress day by day and life started to look brighter. It is utterly incredible to me that I can even contemplate running a marathon when I look back to how I was not so long ago.

ME and chronic fatigue are conditions affecting others in my family and among my friends. These people have continued to inspire me as they walk positively though life despite these 'quiet', chronic conditions which make every day harder, and are almost invisible to most people. I'm fundraising in aid of ME research UK in hope that solutions can be found, and that my family and friends can get their energy back like I did.

A note about ME Research UK:

"....doctors do not treat us and science does not study us. How could a disease this common and this devastating have been forgotten by medicine?" Jennifer Brea

Only biomedical research can find the causes of ME/CFS, improve diagnosis and treatment, and, ultimately, arrive at a cure. That’s why research is our focus.

We've awarded 64 full grants and 5 PhD-level awards since 2000 and invested over £3.5million. But research is expensive and becoming more so every day. That’s the challenge we face, and that’s why we need your help.