Welcome to the August 2024 edition of ME Research UK’s monthly newsletter. This is sent out automatically to all on our mailing list who have opted for e-mail contact. It is simple to sign-up and is free. We rarely exceed one email per month and so ME Research UK will not overload your inbox.
Christmas cards
Our collection of Christmas cards for 2024 is now available to buy online or to order via post or phone. There are nine designs this year, with another three designs available exclusively in our online shop (while stocks last). This is a great way to help support ME Research UK, and to raise awareness of ME/CFS among your family and friends, so please do have a look at the cards on offer.
Maeve Boothby O’Neill Coroner’s Inquest
After a 9-day hearing during which evidence was presented by 18 people, the full Coroner’s Inquiry into the death of 27-year-old Maeve Boothby O’Neill from severe ME has been completed. Assistant Coroner Deborah Archer concluded that Ms Boothby O’Neill died of natural causes “because of severe myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME)” and that although important lessons would be learned from her death, she did not find that any of the clinicians who treated her did not believe ME was a “true illness”. ME Research UK covered the Coroner’s Inquiry throughout the proceedings with quotes and media links as well as the verdict.
The Big Give
Every year, ME Research UK participates in the Big Give Christmas Challenge, and thanks to the response from our wonderful supporters we have been able to raise our Pledge target this year to £15,000. This could help us increase the amount of research we fund by raising even more through the Big Give.
Last year, the charity raised over £30,000 in total from pledges, donations and Gift Aid, and that money is being invested in Prof. Leighton Barnden’s forthcoming project using MRI to track the progression of ME/CFS. Big Give funds allowed us to build on our previous funded research with Prof. Barnden and prove what a big difference a successful Big Give makes.
Read about how the Big Give works, and become a Pledger today. Pledges are accepted until 11 p.m. on Sunday 8 September, so there’s not much time left to pledge.
Interview with Technology Networks
The team at ME Research UK was asked to contribute to a recent article by scientific news publication Technology Networks on the current state of ME/CFS research. Our science writer, Dr Emma Slack, talked about the aims of the charity, some of the research that we have supported, and how the field has changed in recent years.
Research articles
Dr Krista Clarke at the University of Surrey is currently working on a research study, co-funded by ME Research UK and the ME Association, assessing the electrical properties of white blood cells in ME/CFS. In a recent article on our website, she talks about her PhD work on the electrophysiological properties of cells, and how this has led on to her research in ME/CFS.
Another of our researchers, Tina Katsaros, is researching the mitochondria in ME/CFS as part of her PhD. She has created a video explaining her work for a lay audience for a Visualise Your Thesis competition at La Trobe University. You can watch the video and vote for Tina here (she is entry #4).
Low socioeconomic status is associated with an increased risk of chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. A recent research article assesses the impact of socioeconomic status on ME/CFS in detail, looking specifically at household income and educational attainment.
Help us make the breakthrough
We know that, as a subscriber to our newsletter and someone who is interested in our work, you join us in the belief that only robust scientific research is the key to understanding ME/CFS.
Donations from our valued supporters are vital if we are to continue our work to inform, influence and invest in ME/CFS research globally.
