This Christmas, Gargunnock is fundraising for ME
Ten years ago, Gargunnock was shaken when one of it’s own – Alan Cumming – took his life because his illness (ME – Myalgic Encephalopathy) had got too much for him.
Gargunnock was stunned. He hadn’t even looked ill!
How could they have missed the signs that something was amiss?
Very easily was the simple answer. ME is an invisible illness. There was nothing to see:-
- They couldn’t know that pain tore through his body with every step;
- They didn’t see how his vision was distorted ;
- They didn’t sense that he struggled to regulate his temperature from one minute to the next;
- They couldn’t tell how this former player with Gargunnock FC was now struggling to find the energy to walk the length of his house;
- They didn’t know that the man upon whose sage judgement they had relied in village meetings was struggling to overcome a brain fog that clouded and distorted every decision; and
- They didn’t understand how disorientated he felt because overnight sleep failed to refresh him.
The man was a wreck. And yet he had looked no different.
As news of his death spread through the village, Gargunnock rallied round. Supporting his remaining family in so many ways – food, hugs, advice, flowers, baby sitting, meals, practical help,….. Collectively and individually, the village worked in so many ways, giving the family the help and support it needed to survive.
That was ten years ago.
In the intervening period, many of Alan’s contemporaries - friends from school, and from the village – toured Scotland fundraising in his memory for The ME Association.
But families are still devastated by this cruel illness today. And The ME Association is still there, doing its very best to support it’s own community – the 250,000 people in the UK who continue struggle to live with ME.
So, this Christmas, this tiny community of Gargunnock, is doing it’s bit to support the ME community. The whole community and not just one person or one family. By singing, running, and by putting their names to community Christmas cards….
Please support Team Gargunnock.
Please help us to make a difference.
Help us to give more people the chance, and hope, of a recovery from ME.
Remember: Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving - they'll never share them with anyone or send you unwanted emails. Once you donate, they'll send your money directly to the charity. They'll make sure Gift Aid (an additional 25%) is reclaimed on every eligible donation by a UK taxpayer, too. That means more money goes to the charity, faster, with JustGiving.
