In 2020, ME/CFS San Diego had planned a Continuing Medical Education (CME) event for our annual Awareness Action. COVID-19 forced us to reconsider and we set up an Awareness Action with help from wonderful volunteers and donors which provided thousands with ME/CFS-themed PPE with informational flyers. Because COVID-19 is still very much a world-wide pandemic, ME/CFS San Diego is going to keep going with providing ME/CFS-themed PPE with priority to healthcare workers.

"Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME) is a systemic neuroimmune condition characterized by post-exertional malaise (a reduction in functioning and a severe worsening of symptoms after even minimal exertion). It causes dysregulation of the immune, nervous, and energy metabolism systems. It is often triggered in susceptible people after viral infections." (https://www.meaction.net/about/what-is-me/) Currently, there are no cures or medical therapies to treat ME/CFS and only about 5% of people ever recover.

Alarmingly, medical professionals predict an increase in the number of people disabled by ME/CFS will increase in with new cases as a result of COVID-19. (https://solvecfs.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/COVID19-MECFS_Sci_Review.pdf ) We already have an estimated 2.5 million Americans and 17 million people worldwide struggling with this complex, painful neuroimmune disorder.

ME/CFS San Diego is committed to raising awareness of ME/CFS and, at the same time, providing PPE (masks and caps) with priority to healthcare workers. A local company, BBD Embroidery,has generously offered to print our ME/CFS design. With the support of the community, our ME/CFS San Diego visibility action will provide thousands of masks with priority for healthcare workers while simultaneously bringing much needed awareness to ME/CFS.

Come see our wonderful volunteers!

Resources

• If you are with a healthcare organization and are interested in receiving ME/CFS Awareness-themed masks and caps, please fill our our PPE Request form.

• To request mask or scrub cap kits for sewing, please fill out our Sewing Kit form. Volunteers from the San Diego area are invited to join our ME/CFS 2020 PPE and Awareness Action Facebook group.

• If you have ME/CFS (or are a caretaker of someone with ME/CFS) from the San Diego area, please apply to join ME/CFS San Diego's facebook group.

Please consider donating to help us provide ME/CFS Awareness- themed PPE with priority for healthcare workers.

ME/CFS PPE made by volunteers!