Former Politician Raising Money, And Awareness, For sufferers of M.E.

Former Jersey Deputy, Shona Pitman, is embarking on a 1,200 mile walk from Land's End to John O' Groats in order to raise money, and awareness, for M.E.

Mrs. Pitman, a long time campaigner against Child Abuse, and its cover up in Jersey, has issued a Press Release reproduced below.

Team Voice interviewed the former Deputy before she set off on her epic journey and discussed her 15 year battle with this debilitating illness and why she suffered in silence with it for so long. We hope our readers/viewers will find the interview (and Press Release) of some interest and might consider donating whatever they are able to afford to this worthy cause?

PRESS RELEASE

ME Sufferer Walks 1200 miles Across Britain

With the support of the Association for Young People with ME (AYME) and ACTION FOR ME, Shona Pitman (an ME sufferer of 15 years) will be embarking on a 1200 mile route walk from Land’s End to John O’Groats on the first day of the International ME Awareness Week – this being the 12^th of May. 

Due to the physical effects of her ME, the journey is estimated to take up to five months to complete.  During this time, Shona’s  intention is to stop and speak to raise awareness about ME and funds for the above charities (with the target of £4000.00 each – see the Just Giving website to donate) HERE and HERE at as many national, county, city and town TV and radio stations and newspapers, as is possible, throughout the course of the walk.  These charities undertake great work in supporting research and informing and supporting sufferers, the wider public and Government about the illness - they deserve all the help and recognition possible.

Initially, Shona was undertaking the challenge with a gentleman who also has ME.  Unfortunately the severity of his ME at this present time is such that he cannot start the walk with her.  However, Shona is hopeful that he will still be able to join her on the trek at some point. ‘Baz has put in such a lot of work to help make this fund and awareness raising challenge happen’, Shona says. ‘I thus very much hope he will be able to join me when and wherever he can’.

Why she is doing it: There are an estimated 250,000 people in the UK (with 25,000 of those being children and young people), living with the illness.   Each experiencing the symptoms listed below - to different degrees.  Please note, these are just some of the symptoms:

·      Brain fog, poor concentration, confusion, short-term memory problems

·      Reduced coping skills, depression, mood swings, anxiety

·      Intolerance to certain foods, drinks, drugs and chemicals

·      Digestive and detoxification problems

·      Weakened immune system

·      Sensitivity to light and noise

·      Joint and muscle pain

·      Chronic and persistent fatigue

The degree of the illness and symptoms can vary from person to person and so too can they vary within the sufferer, depending on the levels of stress to the body and/or mind.  Some sufferers are able to work; some are housebound; and some are even bedbound and need physical assistant with the most basic of tasks such as: changing clothes, preparing meals and even going to the toilet.  The illness may affect a person for just a few years or it may be decades. 

With medical conditions like ME also being what may be called a ‘hidden disability’, the truth is that the lack of awareness amongst the public, the medical profession and Government about the illness, leaves most sufferers and their families to ‘deal with it’ themselves in whatever way they can afford.   This can be as stressful as living with the illness itself and can regularly make symptoms even worse. 

Increasing awareness and understanding is absolutely crucial in support of ensuring adequate funding is made available at Government and local authority levels.  Within this context, Shona will also be talking about how the work of the Optimum Health Clinic (a private Clinic treating ME sufferers) have made a huge positive difference to her own mental and physical state in just a few months of starting their on-line computer course; and will be assisting them with their own fundraising for a very significant undertaking that they are also launching in May.

‘The irony is’ states Shona ‘ if Governments accommodated for the need properly, it would actually save taxpayers money in the long-term because sufferers can fully recover or their health may at least improve sufficiently to a point where they may be able to work and once again be able to contribute to the economy and thus the Treasury’.  Health Services, Social Security, Housing and other Departments would then save money in the long-run.  This is undoubtedly a major issue that politicians are always apparently concerned about – making savings!  ‘The bottom line is that with adequate funding for support and greater research quality of life can  be significantly enhanced’.

Shona is very passionate about pushing this subject in to the position of public and Government awareness it so deserves and to where sufferers have waited for, for far too long.  In essence - to achieve official recognition that ME is as serious as many far better understood debilitating illnesses which as a consequence, receive more appropriate levels of political backing for the funding of public service provision and research.  For this reason, she feels it necessary that it should be a person who has the illness to make this point - and do it in a big way. 

As Shona states: ‘This is what I wish to play my part in by undertaking this marathon walk; and by talking about the realities of ME to all and anyone willing to listen - not least national and local media who have so much potential to force those in positions of power to take note. ME is very real and at present it is ruining a lot of lives, which with greater awareness and funding could be made so much better'.