On May 12th, individuals around the globe will be celebrating International ME/CFS and Fibromyalgia Awareness Day. This date has been designated as an international day for awareness since 1992 and over the years it has evolved into a kick-off event for awareness efforts throughout the rest of May. You can learn more about how it all started it at May12th.org
There are many different ways you can be involved, giving ME/CFS and Fibromylagia a voice while also supporting the important work of the Bateman Horne Center:
Dress up and Sock it to ME/CFS & FM! Beginning on May 12th and then throughout the rest of May, wear your wild and wacky socks for ME/CFS and FM! When someone asks about them, it’s your opening to tell them about your connection to ME/CFS and FM, about the work of BHC, your dreams for our future.
– Take pictures of your wacky socks and post to social media with #SockItToMECFSandFM and #BatemanHorneCenter
– Challenge others to wear wild and wacky socks this month
– Invite them to donate to BHC as they wear their wild socks and also to challenge others to do the same – www.BatemanHorneCenter.org/WingstoFly
Dress up and Sock it to ME/CFS & FM! Beginning on May 12th and then throughout the rest of May, wear your wild and wacky socks for ME/CFS and FM! When someone asks about them, it’s your opening to tell them about your connection to ME/CFS and FM, about the work of BHC, your dreams for our future.- Change your Facebook cover photo to the banner we’ve created (just right click and save the image to download for free), or create your own related to ME/CFS and FM Awareness
- Change your Facebook profile picture to the one we’ve created, beginning May 12 and throughout May
- Share the awareness images we’ve created (posted in the May 12 album on Facebook and below) and basic facts about the illness in your social media posts this month, sharing a bit of your personal story every time you post
- Be a social media ambassador! “Like” the BHC Facebook page, follow us on Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest and share our posts throughout the month, noting how it relates to you and that it is a part of the awareness effort
- Write to your representative letting them know of the seriousness of ME/CFS and FM, referencing the IOM Report (HERE), urging them to strongly support any efforts to increase funding for research https://www.contactingthecongress.org/ Link them to www.BatemanHorneCenter.org to lean more.
- Do you blog? Write a blog post about ME/CFS and FM, and how it has affected your life. (Let us know about it so we can share!)
- Create a short – 2 minute or less – video about ME/CFS and FM, and how it has affected your life – make it creative, edgy or funny – then share on YouTube and other social media. Share it with us so we can pass it on as well!
Social Media Images – just right click and save as a picture to your computer:
Lucinda Bateman, MD, is a renowned clinician, researcher, and educator. Her Johns Hopkins University Medical School training instilled an approach to care that she has employed throughout her career - the patient comes first and the unknown or unexplained does not equate to a lack of proper and compassionate care. Since starting her own practice in 2000, she has served on six boards or committees, been the principal investigator for 45 studies, authored/coauthored 40 journal articles, served as adjunct instructor and adjunct assistant professor in the University of Utah Departments of Preventative Medicine, Internal Medicine, and Anesthesiology, and lectured around the world.