What is pacing? Pacing is a self-management strategy that people with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME) use to prevent or lessen the symptoms of post-exertional malaise (PEM ). Pacing involves reviewing each type of exertion throughout a day (or set of days), including physical, cognitive, social and emotional aspects, to determine how much activity can be done without increasing symptoms. Pacing needs may fluctuate day to day; it is important for ME patients to understand their limitations. Pacing is not the same as graded exercise therapy (GET ). GET is not recommended for ME patients. GET is a treatment approach where physical activity is gradually increased over time, regardless of how the patient is feeling and ignoring any increased symptoms or new symptoms. Learning to pace yourself is challenging, as ME symptoms are multiple and varied. Pacing is about doing what you can, within your energy limits. ​ Learn about our free "Living with ME/Long-COVID" email series here Pacing resources Sign up for our "Living with ME/Long-COVID " email series to get simple pacing instructions and other helpful tools and information such as: ​ dispelling myths, how to talk to your doctor, learning to live with ME/Long-COVID, mental, emotional and personal identity, and symptom, medication and other tracking toolkits. Introductions and Guides Introductory overview ​ ME Action’s guide to PEM and pacing ​ HealthLink BC - Pacing technique Paediatric ME/CFS and Long-COVID ​ Research paper on pacing: ME and "long-COVID ​ ​ ME Action's Pacing and Management Guide for Paediatric ME/CFS and Long-COVID ​ Basic tutorial ​ ​ CCDP post viral fatigue ressources ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ For additional tools and techniques to help manage your illness, sign up for our "Living with ME/Long-COVID" email series . Topics include: ​ Module 1 - easy instructions for how to apply pacing Module 2 - a practical activity and symptom tracking toolkit Module 6 - biometrics you can measure and track to help with pacing, and the devices and apps that can help. ​ ​ ​ ​ Learn about our free Social Support Groups Pacing videos Videos on pacing in ME/CFS: Pacing tutorial videos: Pacing basics Devices and strategies Special events and relapses ​ ​ Activity intolerance and pacing (Dr. Bateman, Bateman Horne Center) ​ Rocks, pebbles, and sand metaphor ​ Workwell Foundation Pacing Video

Assistive Devices and Activity Modifications Practical tools, devices and strategies for easier living with ME/CFS and Long-COVID With ME/CFS and Long-COVID, simply making it through the day can be a challenge. You may be limited by fatigue, weakness, brain fog, pain, dizziness and/or a limited amount of available energy for the day. But, even with a concerted effort to control and limit “must-do” activities, many of us still have work, chores or basic responsibilities to tackle. ​ Each task or activity uses some of our limited energy and may also risk triggering specific symptoms (such as pain) or even a general crash. Here, we take a look at devices and strategies that can help: reduce the energy required for specific activities make certain tasks or chores easier decrease the likelihood of triggering individual symptoms or a general crash help you stay within your daily energy envelope. Using the tools and tips here may help you to stabilize symptoms, regain some sense of control over your illness’s limitations, or even preserve some energy for priorities like hobbies or family. Devices and Strategies to Make Living with ME/CFS and Long-COVID a Little Easier General Illness Management Tracking your health Energy management Symptom management ​ Daily Chores Cooking Cleaning Laundry ​ ​ Hobbies and Socializing Hobbies Socializing Illness-related groups Rest Position (sit/recline) Sensory stimulation ​ ​ Mobility Walking Car rides Outings ​ ​ Managing Severe Illness Environment Comfort Self care Self Care Washing/showering Bathroom Hair and shaving Products Organization Note and reminders Scheduling Organization Brain fog management Devices and Strategies

ME/Long-COVID Treatment & management Introduction There is, as yet, no cure or universal treatment for ME; there is only individual treatment for specific symptoms. However, there are some steps that you can take which may help: Aggressive rest, especially in the early stages and during relapses, is the one therapy universally agreed upon as key in the management of ME. ​ ​ Work with your medical professional to obtain appropriate medical support for sleep disturbances, unmanageable pain, reactive depression, any nutritional and hormonal deficiencies, and/or to assist you with lifestyle changes needed to manage a chronic illness; ​ ​ Pacing , which means staying within your ‘energy envelope’ by managing your activities as best you can to avoid the push-crash cycle of relapsing symptoms. Join a Myalgic Encephalomyelitis support group to relieve the isolation and loneliness which ME can create, and to learn more about the illness and how others cope with it. ​ A healthy diet seems to help some patients. Since some people develop food sensitivities, it may be helpful to experiment with diet in consultation with your health care team to discover which are better tolerated and which should be avoided. Above all, when you are feeling a bit better, avoid the temptation to catch up with unfinished tasks as this is likely to cause a relapse. Slowly build up your activity levels gradually and listen to your body when it tells you to rest. It is crucial to recognize your limits and not push beyond them. ​ Heading 6 Sign up for our free "Living with ME/Long-COVID" email series Videos on Symptoms and Management The Bateman Horne Centre (USA) has developed a six-part educational video series describing symptoms, diagnosis and illness management tips for Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME) and Fibromyalgia. Video 1: Getting the Right Diagnosis Video 2: Activity Intolerance & Post-Exertional Malaise Video 3: Restorative Sleep Video 4: Chronic Widespread Pain Video 5: Cognitive Impairment Video 6: Orthostatic Intolerance Tools for ME Management ME/CFS Crash Survival Guidebook: The Art of Living with ME/CFS. This guidebook is designed for patients, for those allies supporting patients, and for medical providers. Pacing Resources: We have reviewed and collected available Pacing resources , guides and tools. Facets of ME: This is an educational series produced by ME Action (US) guiding patients and community through a number of ME related symptoms . ​ Facets of ME - #MEAction Network Sign up for our free Social Support Groups If you are having surgery/anaesthesia Recommendations for persons with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis / Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) If you are considering physiotherapy While this book's primary audience is physiotherapists, it includes comments from people with ME and case studies of how physiotherapy may assist different presentations of ME. The book is available in print and ebook formats through online sellers such as Amazon. You can also ask your local bookstore to stock it from the publisher (Jessica Kingsley Publishers). If you have no family doctor If you have no family doctor Register with HealthLink BC’s Find a Doctor service, which helps connect people who are looking for a family doctor with one who is accepting new patients. You can register online here or by calling 8-1-1. With upcoming changes to the system, where there are wait lists for primary care givers, there is a chance that people calling in with complex chronic illnesses will be placed higher on wait lists. ​ ​ Contact your local Division of Family Practice, which is a group of family doctors who work together to improve primary care in their communities. They may have programs or resources to help you find a family doctor or access other health services. You can find your local division here . ​ You can also try “Find a Family Doctor ” from the BC College of Family Physicians or “Find a Doctor ” from Doctors of BC. ​ Fully utilize support groups or organizations for people with ME, Long-COVID, other post-viral illnesses and their comorbidities, such as the ME|FM Society of BC. As well as offering information and toolkits for self-care and illness-management through our “Living with ME/Long-COVID” email series and on our website, we also offer online support groups to help you learn, share ideas and experiences, and cope with your illness. ​ ​ If you have no family doctor or access to other healthcare workers, no specialist referral, and no access to the CCDP (due to geography, age or wait list, for example), you may feel you have to fall back on walk-in clinics or urgent and primary care centres (UPCCs) for diagnosis or care. However, these are unlikely to provide you with comprehensive care for your complex chronic illness. You may also have to wait for a long time to see a doctor or nurse at these places. If you find yourself in this situation, there is no fast, easy way out. BC has a shortage of primary care doctors and finding a new one taking patients, especially one that is knowledgeable about post viral illnesses and is willing to take on patients with complex chronic illnesses, can be challenging. ​ There are some steps you can take that might help improve your situation:

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Caregiver resources A caregiver’s story My name is Jana and I provided care to a person with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (pwME) for several years. My pwME was my husband and the journey from partner to caregiver wasn't easy. I had to learn new ways to cope with shifting responsibilities and priorities, while dealing with what seemed like the loss of a relationship. One of the first things anyone said to me when they found out that I cared for someone who was chronically ill and bed-bound, whether they were a health care provider, friend, stranger, even my own husband, was that self-care is important. But that is often easier said than done. So I had to find resources that could help me manage it all better. ​ ​ I'd like to say that I figured it out but I didn't. However, I did find some useful resources that are shared here. Everything has been collected based on how it helped me, or other caregivers like me, and I hope you find some of it helpful, too.This page is here to try to help you in your caregiving. Some of the references are to ME-specific caregiver resources or information but many are not. It’s important to note that none of these links are endorsed by the ME|FM Society of BC . If you have questions, recommendations for sources for this page, or you would like to share your own story, please contact support@mefm.bc.ca . ​ Learn about our free Social Support Groups ME caregiving resources Many caregivers also find books, websites, blogs and podcasts about living with ME can also be helpful when trying to understand what it’s like to live with ME. Non-ME caregiving resources Family Caregivers of BC ​ Supports British Columbians who provide physical and/or emotional care to others. Caring.com Geared to people caring for the elderly; some less specific resources are available. Doctors of BC List of community resources for family caregivers, including financial aid. The Caregiver Space ​ Where you can ask questions and share experiences about being a caregiver. Other caregivers have found books, podcasts and blogs on the following topics helpful: ​ General caregiving Caregiver burnout Meditation and mindfulness for caregivers Setting boundaries Relaxation and stress relief techniques You may also want to consider: ​ Some form of regular physical activity, acupuncture, massage therapy, etc. Guided breathing and meditation Apps that help with time management, organization, health and wellbeing Become a Society Member Open Medicine Foundation Resource for parents of children with ME ME/CFS and FM Self-Help page US CDC Document for parents of children with ME MEAction’s Guide to caregiving MEAction’s Caregiver Facebook support group SolveME resources General Caregiver Learn about our free "Living with ME/Long-COVID" email series here

What is ME? What is Long-COVID? What are Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME) and Long-COVID (LC)? ME and Long-COVID are both complex, chronic, multi-system illnesses that can seriously impact quality of life. Both are considered part of a larger family of post-viral illnesses: ​ 80% of ME cases clearly came after a viral illness; for 20% of patients, the trigger is uncertain and may have followed some other type of trauma or simply come on gradually. Long-COVID is defined as symptoms and conditions that continue or develop after a probable or confirmed case of COVID-19. The main hallmark symptom of both illnesses is post exertional malaise (PEM), an immediate or delayed worsening of symptoms that may occur even after minimal physical, emotional, cognitive or sensory exertion. ​ ​ Along with PEM, the other main symptom of both ME and LC are: ​ extreme fatigue that is not improved by rest Cognitive impairment, such as problems with memory, concentration, thinking or speaking Unrefreshing sleep and disturbed sleep ​ ​ Orthostatic intolerance such as lightheadedness, dizziness, and passing out Some with Long-COVID have experienced permanent organ damage and many also have chronic coughs, shortness of breath, and chest pain, not usually experienced by those with ME ​ ​ Both illnesses can have a long list of other symptoms , including pain, gastrointestinal issues and others, and both have several common comorbidities (including Fibromyalgia). ​ ​ ​ Livng With ME...... Living with ME/Long-COVID While ME and Long-COVID are not the same, they have heavily overlapping triggers, symptoms, illness management strategies (care and treatments), and impacts on life. In fact, nearly half of patients with Long-COVID meet the diagnostic criteria for ME. ​ ​ ​ ​ For both illnesses, even a mild case can result in a substantial loss of physical and/or cognitive function . Mild disease can result in a reduction of 50% of pre-illness function. Severe patients can be bedridden for months or years, struggling to perform basic daily living tasks. ​ Both ME and Long-COVID symptoms often fluctuate from day to day, or across weeks and months. While some people do experience worsening symptoms over time, illness management strategies, and especially Pacing , can stabilize symptoms and even improve general function and overall quality of life. ​ While there is no known cure for either illness. It is estimated that up to 5% of people with ME and 8% of those with Long-COVID for at least a year fully recover. ​ Sign up for our free "Living with ME/Long-COVID" email series Who gets ME/Long-COVID? In BC, there are an estimated 87,000 people with ME and 118,000 people with Long-COVID that has lasted over a year . Onset of both illnesses can occur in children and adults, with the prevalence being in women and the average age of onset being middle age. Check out our recent News Diagnosis Despite the high prevalence and disabling nature of these illnesses, medical education programs rarely cover these illnesses and guidance for practicing clinicians is often outdated and inappropriate. Standard tests typically return normal results , and some clinicians are wholly unaware of or question the legitimacy of ME and Long-COVID. ​ Consequently, up to 91% of affected people are undiagnosed or misdiagnosed with other conditions, such as depression. ​ To obtain a diagnosis, patients frequently have had to see multiple clinicians over a number of years. Videos Unrest - Jennifer Brea's award winning feature documentary What is ME/CFS? A 6 minute informative introduction from the Bateman Horne Centre After Unrest - ME documentary by Ketra Wooding Understanding ME: Context and Lived Experiences Pain BC Podcast

Board of Directors Hilary Robertson, Co-Chair Bio Amy Andreasen Bio Kirsten Boomer Bio Barb Ruscheinski, Co-Chair Bio Gavin Chung Bio Sheri Li Bio Sue Khazaie Bio Kelly Lautt Bio Apply to become a Director Our team Board of Directors Our staff Alana Newton Social Support Group Host Shannon Gold Social Support Group Host Jessie Hebert Social Hangout Host Need support? Our Staff Society committees Advocacy Finance Exec Team Research Human Resources Fundraising ​Our wonderful volunteers Volunteer Now Many thanks to the volunteers who make our work possible. Most are living with ME or FM, donating not just their time, but also their precious energy "spoons" to help improve the lives of others. Our volunteers are not only the fuel of our Society, but our inspiration.

What is Fibromyalgia (FM)? See our FAQs Introduction What is FM? Fibromyalgia, FM, is a chronic illness that causes pain and tenderness throughout the body, as well as fatigue and trouble sleeping. People with FM do not experience post-exertional malaise (PEM), as seen in ME and Long-COVID. Fibro = Fibrous tissue My = Muscle Algia = Pain Who can get FM? FM can affect children and adults. However, most people are diagnosed mid-life. FM often occurs after a significant event, such as severe illness or infection, physical trauma (such as surgery or a car accident), or significant psychological stress. In other cases, symptoms gradually accumulate over time with no single triggering event. Impact of FM FM symptoms, such as chronic pain, sleep and/or cognitive dysfunction, can result in disability from work-life and/or activities of daily living. Also, like ME and Long-COVID, FM greatly impacts quality of life. ​ FM pain can vary from person to person. Pain can also vary in location and intensity on a daily or hourly basis. Learn about our free Social Support Groups Overlap of FM, ME and Long-Covid There is some overlap and similarity in symptoms between Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME), Long-COVID, and Fibromyalgia (FM), but these are distinct conditions with different diagnostic criteria. FM is also the most common comorbidity of ME, with an estimate of over 35% of Canadians with ME also having FM. ​ While ME, Long-COVID and FM can all include symptoms of fatigue, cognitive impairment and pain, FM does not usually manifest with post-exertional malaise (PEM, or worsening of symptoms with physical, cognitive or emotional exertion), one of the hallmark symptoms of ME and Long-COVID. Register for our News Updates General information Healthlink BC Tender points diagram ​ Complex Chronic Diseases Program (CCDP), BC Womens and Childrens Hospital ​ Bateman Horne Centre (USA) ​Fibro-”flare” Frequently asked questions ​ Arthritis Society of Canada ​ Become a member Learn about our free Social Support Groups Treatments and resources PainBC Self management support and programing HealthLink BC Fibromyalgia Treatments ​ Complex Chronic Diseases Program (CCDP), BC Womens and Childrens Hospital Patient resources ​

MLA resources BC MLAs are giving voice to ME patients and their issues - we thank you! Helpful resources Briefing note: Need for Early Diagnosis (May 1, 2023) ME|FM Society of BC Board letter to Adrian Dix (October 1, 2021) Backgrounder: a four-page summary of the provincial issues (April 2021) ​ ​ ME - A Clinical Case Definition and Guidelines for Medical Practitioners: An overview of the Canadian Consensus Document (2005) ME|FM Society of BC letter to Adrian Dix (June 22, 2022) Briefing Note: Diagnosis and Billing Codes for ME (Sept. 15, 2021) Briefing Note: a two-page synopsis of the issues (April 13, 2021) ​ Ministry of Health response to October 1, 2021 letter (Nov. 5, 2021) Briefing Note: Physician CME for ME (Sept. 15, 2021) "Unrest" movie: Jennifer Brea's Academy Award-Nominated movie documenting her journey with ME (January, 2017) Contact us Our research M.E. in BC: How the Healthcare System for M.E. Impacts Clinicians and Patients : Report on a preliminary project examining the unmet needs of British Columbians living with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME) (2021) Short Report Long Report Summary Graphic My MLA and ME advocates Some of our My MLA and ME volunteers Siobhan B Siobhan was once a ballet dancer and is now helping others with ME. She was born in South Africa and immigrated to Canada with her family in the 90s. From a young age she knew she was destined for a life on the stage. She began dance lessons at three and had landed her first major role in a ballet at ten. From then on, she dedicated her life to making it as a ballet dancer and by sixteen she was dancing professionally! Unfortunately, just a few years later she’d have to quit her dream job as her body seemingly shut down. Continue reading... Sue K Sue loved her life! At 58, she had the job of her dreams, administering a small non-profit agency, enjoyed living on a small hobby farm with her husband and loved travelling the world. She had an active social life and was looking forward the retirement she and her husband had planned and saved for over many years. But gradually, and insidiously, illness overcame her. Gradually she was able to do less and less. Her daily dog walks, once the highlight of her day, became a chore. Eventually she could only sit in the car and watch the dogs play as others walked them. Headaches, nausea, sore bones, dizziness, and a profound and overwhelming fatigue became her constant experience. Work was no longer possible, and she was forced to resign the job she loved. Within months of leaving work, she was bedridden, no longer able to tolerate bright lights or loud sounds. Movements in the room would overwhelm her. Her symptoms became worse. Her husband became her caregiver. Despite a sympathetic physician, there were no medical answers. Weeks turned into months. Finally, she was referred to one of the only physicians in BC knowledgeable about ME, who began to turn things around for her. Slowly, with appropriate care, she improved. Now, 8 years later, she is still primarily homebound, but with aggressive management of her disease, able to participate in family life, and contribute to the work of the ME/FM Society of BC. Janice B In November 2019, after working for 11 years as a manager of an independent seniors' residential building, I had to finally succumb to my illness and my limitations. The five years prior leading up to this decision was the most difficult as I tried to gain support and understanding from my GP and specialists, all the while seeing the quality of my life and abilities go from working almost full time and running our 18-year tax business. I was reduced to working one day a week just months prior to resigning and closing my tax business. I was devastated to lose my accomplishments and quality of life. In May 2017, I was finally accepted into the CCDP at BC Woman's hospital and given the diagnosis of ME/CFS and Fibromyalgia. They over the next 2 years gave me all the support I needed, but please keep in mind their sole purpose is to diagnose with a lengthy report and explanation of treatment recommendations that are to be carried out and supported by our GP. Even though my GP sent in the referral he was not willing to accept or support the recommendations. I was forced to leave my GP and find a new one who would help me. The CCDP in the meantime were gracious enough to help with my application for disability benefits. I was able to find a new GP that accepted and supported my care. Unfortunately, this year she needed to close her practice for personal reasons but did give her patients another doctor that was willing to take us. My new doctor has been supportive; however, in our first meet and greet based on the information I provided her, she wanted to first make clear that if I was looking for narcotics for pain, she would not be able to help me. I do not need that for pain, but what if I did? We are in desperate need of a medical system that acknowledges and supports patients with a diagnosis process and once confirmed, continuing to provide that support. Kelly L I was a driven, positive, mother, wife and management consultant, Chair of the Board of a biotech, and strategy consultant for developing businesses. I was strong, healthy, happy and focused. I had a socially engaged, smart, exuberant girl of 11 who did Ninja Warrior, gymnastics, soccer, circus classes, swimming, leadership group, knitting club, “little buddies” with younger kids, and was said by all teachers and coaches to be kind, positive, tough, and a real leader. My daughter and I canoed, camped, did art projects and ropes courses together, and climbed trees. Our mother/daughter saying was “push it – always push it,” and we loved it. Then ME hit us. We all (my daughter, my husband and I) caught a nasty virus on December 27, 2019 and my daughter never recovered. She lost the infection, the sore throat and the fever, but she never regained her energy. She would get exhausted with the smallest amount of physical or mental effort. She was calling to be picked up from school after an hour every day and we finally had to just keep her home. She missed almost all of her final year in elementary school and could not keep up with the work. Her friends started to drift away. Our GP was insulting and accused her of being lazy. I was told to push her back to school and activities. We tried a pediatrician who accused me of being a bad mother and told me it must be a mental problem. Why, I asked? Do you see anything in her that suggests that? “No, but all the “real” tests came back negative, so it’s obvious she is just not opening up to me and she simply needs a psychiatrist and pressure to get back to school.” We were dismissed. And hurt. And angry. And alone. And we both knew they were wrong. Dead, dangerously wrong. We still do not have any support form the medical community – there are few to no resources for children (or anyone!) with ME. My daughter can rarely leave the house and will not be able to enter high school with her friends. We work together to keep positive and see the light and life in small things. But the pain, fear, loss, mourning, lack of contact with other kids, nausea, body spasms, sometimes difficulty breathing and thinking straight is exhausting and hard to handle for us both. I have lost much of my career, a lot of my joy, and my vision for my daughter’s future. My daughter has lost almost everything. This is ME. Jana S My name is Jana and I was the sole caregiver to my husband who was bedbound with ME. He was first diagnosed in about 2007 after experiencing symptoms that ranged from shortness of breath to extreme exhaustion to body pain. The first few years he was sick, he was still able to work and live almost normally. Then one day, a couple of years after he was first diagnosed, he felt better, back to normal. He likened it to a switch being flipped and we both forgot all about ME. Then at the beginning of 2018, he was feeling tired, achy, dizzy and nauseous all the time. He went to the doctor and she gave him very strong anti-nausea medication. It didn't do anything. He was experiencing abdominal pain so he went back to the doctor and she didn't have any explanation so she ordered some tests. They all came back negative. The dizziness continued so she sent him to an ENT doctor. He finally got to see an internal medicine specialist and had even more tests that came back negative. While still undergoing tests with the specialist, he was still experiencing seemingly unrelated symptoms and his primary care doctor was not helping. In fact, she began to cancel his appointments and he was basically left without a doctor. This actually turned out to be a good thing since I was able to get him into a new doctor who knew a little about ME and suggested it might be a resurgence. By the end of 2018, my formerly active husband was housebound and increasingly bedbound. His official diagnosis came after countless blood tests, CT scans and an MRI ruled out diseases like Addison’s and MS and his (new) doctor and two specialists said that the only remaining diagnosis was ME. The diagnosis took more than a year to get but we consider this fast. Many ME patients suffer for years without a proper diagnosis. He lived in bed until his passing in 2023. Claudia K Office renovations in 2010 brought on the end of my “used-to-be” when I began to develop an overwhelming list of symptoms with fluctuating severity, some of them “mainstream” and some rather strange. After numerous fruitless tests, my doctor’s advice was reduced to “Don’t feel like you have to be sick”, and a subtle hint at my aging. My doctor did refer me to specialists for some of my symptoms. I patiently waited, usually for months, to see them: respirologists, gastroenterologists, rheumatologists, an allergist, a dermatologist, a physiotherapist, ENT specialists, a neuro-ophthalmologist, psychologists etc. – each focusing on their area of expertise through the lens of their specialized knowledge - dots that didn’t get connected. For years I was left looking for answers to questions no one else seemed to be asking. Sometimes people around me thought I was going crazy; sometimes I myself was sure I had. Until a nurse-friend of mine handed me an article she had received from a patient with similar symptomatology. Through it I found out about the Complex Chronic Diseases Program at the Women’s Hospital. With a hopeful heart I initiated a referral, earning myself a spot on their … drumroll … two year plus waitlist! My doctor had never heard of the Program. I eventually wrote her a letter, attaching the Canadian Consensus Criteria for ME as well as the Central Sensitization Model. In our follow-up conversation, she told me she had not been the only one who didn’t believe me, something I had sensed all along. But then again … how could she? Nobody, it seemed, had taught her about Myalgic Encephalomyelitis in medical school. Seven years after the 2010 incident I finally received the correct diagnosis of ME/CFS. But because ME is lacking so much equality compared to other diseases, I had by then lost not just my ability to work, but also a big chunk of my trust in the medical profession, any illusion about certain insurance provider’s “fair processes” as well as too much of my mental health. What I have gained however; is an unbreakable determination to rebuild the level of wellbeing I once had the luxury to take for granted. I have fine-tuned my self-awareness. I have developed deep gratitude for my friends and family, my chosen care providers, nature, and the many little things which make life the big deal that it is. Plus, I have gained insight into our medical-political system with its oh-so-much room for improvement. Therefore, this “My MLA and ME” advocacy initiative caught my attention, because – as Jon Bon Jovi would say: “When you can’t do what you do, you do what you can.” Contact our Advocacy Committee

Our goals Introduction Our purpose is to educate, raise awareness, advocate for and provide support to the ME and FM community in BC; the need is great. There is a severe shortage of knowledgeable doctors and health care professionals resulting in very little patient access to care, treatment and management tools. Patients are confronted by stigma at all levels of the health care system, waiting years to receive a proper diagnosis and experiencing barriers to receiving disability benefits. Join us in making a difference - Become a Member! The Society's primary goals are to: Educate, inform and increase awareness of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME) and Fibromyalgia (FM) . ​ Build an inclusive organization which will reasonably accommodate and allow the participation of ME and FM patients, as well as their carergivers and families, to the extent they are willing and able. Provide information and education for physicians, other medical professionals and the community at large, to increase public awareness of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis and Fibromyalgia. Promote and fundraise for ongoing medical research to encourage early, accurate diagnosis and effective treatments for ME and Fibromyalgia. Champion issues impacting the lives of people with ME and FM through community partnerships and advocacy with local, provincial and federal stakeholders and decision-makers. Liaise with other individuals, groups and organizations to achieve the goals of our Society. Donate now

Become a member Membership types and annual fees Individual $30 Corporate $250 Affiliate $10 Professional $50 Sponsored $0* Non-Profit $100 *Membership types explained here. Our membership year is from October 1 to September 30 of the following year.​​​ Learn about our free Social Support Groups Benefits of membership With membership, you will: Receive our Membership Package. Have the right to a vote at our Annual General Meeting (Individual and Sponsored members only). Have the opportunity to be elected to the Board of Directors or join one of our committees. Be eligible for membership rates for our ME|FM Society of BC events. Be on our Members' email list for news and other member updates. Join us in making a difference! How to become a member Click on the "Join us now " button below and complete our registration form. You'll be able to manage your own profile and contact info, and receive our news updates. Join us now