Why Do ME/CFS & FM Share the Same Awareness Day?

Have you noticed that May 12 is International Awareness Day for both ME/CFS and FMS? The reason for the shared date lies in a bit of history.

In 1992 ME/CFS patient and advocate Tom Hennessy proposed that May 12 be designated as "International Awareness Day for Chronic Immunological and Neurological Diseases (CIND)" - a day to speak out and demand that governments respond to these devastating illnesses. It was an idea that galvanized the patient and advocate communities and has gained momentum ever since.

CIND is an umbrella term that includes Gulf War Syndrome and Multiple Chemical Sensitivity Syndrome as well as ME/CFS and FMS. These, Hennessy reasoned, are all "characterized by cognitive problems, chronic muscle and joint pain, extremely poor stamina," and more; are potentially very debilitating; "afflict people around the world in alarming numbers"; and above all are often "dismissed by the medical profession as...psychosomatic illness."

And why this date - May 12? It marks the birthday of Florence Nightingale - a British healthcare reformer (1820-1910) who broke the trail for modern hygienic, compassionate medical care and public health, served the wounded gallantly during the Crimean war, and became known as the founder of modern nursing. But in addition to being one of the greatest change-makers in all of medical history, Florence Nightingale suffered the latter half of her life often bedridden with an unidentified CINDs-like syndrome. Various groups diagnose her illness in hindsight as either FMS or ME/CFS. But for all, she is a worthy hero.

Hoping you'll find a way to lend your voice to this Awareness Day,

Rich Carson,
CFS Patient and ProHealth Founder

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• Research "provides clear rationale for the use of probiotics" in IBS
  
  
• How alpha-lipoic acid supports reduced risk of pre-diabetes syndrome
  
  
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Where do we keep all our chainsaws, Mom? - Calvin & Hobbes

Rx: Laughter

One prescription for healing and taking our mind off our pain is laughter. When we think back to the last time we really laughed, chances are we remember feeling good inside and experiencing minimal pain. If we can't feel those things today, chances are we need a dose of laughter.

In time we will not only be healing our souls and paying less attention to our pain, we will also be learning how to take life less seriously. We will come to know humor where there was once pain, and healing where there was bitterness. Have we discovered what laughter can do for us?

From Living With Chronic Pain One Day At A Time, by Mark Allan Zabawa

Published by ProHealth, Inc., ImmuneSupport.com is the Web's largest resource for Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. Since 1988, ProHealth has raised and donated over 2.61 million dollars to CFS and FM research and advocacy groups seeking a cure. We believe in "commerce with compassion."

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