On May 11th, Manchester will play host to a major demonstration aimed at highlighting the plight of ME sufferers across the globe. The city’s St. Peter’s Square will be one of 90 worldwide sites demonstrating from 5 May to 12 May as part of the week-long campaign #MillionsMissing. Spearheaded by #MEAction, the campaign is calling on health officials and governments to end the inequality of funding and research into the debilitating illness.
The demonstration, set to start at 2pm will see the lining up of ‘empty’ shoes of ME sufferers from across the UK, footwear that has been unused and made redundant by this debilitating illness. A truly powerful and symbolic display of how ME is ruining lives for millions of people in the UK and worldwide.
Last years event was an enormous success, it allowed hundreds of M.E. suffers who were able to attend the chance to socialize with others with the condition, and to feel empowered. For those who were bedbound they were able to join in by sending in their shoes, a highlight of the event to show how many people are missing from their lives. We will be demonstrating again this year, and demanding health equality for M.E.
“This is about more than a disease. This is a social justice issue. We are fighting for the research funding and medical education we need to stop this epidemic. We are fighting for our lives.” – Jennifer Brea, co-founder of #MEAction, and director of the award-winning documentary, Unrest.
In a recent House of Commons debate, over 40 MPs unanimously passed a motion that calls for increased funding for biomedical research, the suspension of Graded Exercise Therapy and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy as treatments for the disease, updated training for medical professionals and to protect ME families from unjustified child protection procedures.
About Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME):
Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME) is a chronic, debilitating, multi-system disease that affects approximately 250,000 men, women and children of all ethnicities, ages, and genders in the UK.
Learn more here: www.meaction.net
About ME Factsheet: http://bit.ly/MEFactsheet
About #MillionsMissing:
#MillionsMissing is being spearheaded by #MEAction, an international network of patients and allies empowering each other to fight for health equality for ME.
Learn more here: http://millionsmissing.org
North Manchester FM 106.6 
[…] press for #MillionsMissing, #MEAction, and the local movement including Glasgow, Leeds, Hull, Manchester, and Bristol in the UK, and Michigan, South Carolina and Wisconsin in the […]