Current Projects:
1) Treatment Survey
This treatment survey has been compiled from 2007 – 2019. We have had 80 surveys completed. The survey shows the treatments which sufferers have found the most helpful, as well as those which have worsened their condition, and where to order the helpful treatments from. Please go to the SURVEY page for the full downloadable documents. In summary, the following treatments have helped sufferers the most (no.1 is the highest percentage of those helped):
- Magnesium (see warning below)
- Various alterations to diet
- Co-Enzyme Q10
- Pacing (this is sensible pacing and nothing to do with Prof. Peter White’s PACE trials).
- Vitamin B12 and Vitamin C
Warning: too much magnesium can cause diarrhoea.
You might also find some helpful treatment advice from Jodie Bassett’s excellent work at: www.hfme.org (Click on symptoms and then go to M.E. treatments.)
Ongoing Project.
2) Hospital Booklet
We were given a grant in 2018 by the Tesco’s Bags of Help scheme to specifically produce this booklet. The idea behind the booklet is to inform hospital staff of the serious nature of M.E., regarding particular kinds of anaesthetics etc. and also to stop nurses and physiotherapists pressurising sufferers into exercise they cannot do. If anyone would like a copy, let us know and we’ll send you one.
http://www.thegracecharityforme.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/Hospital-Booklet-2017.docx
Project Completed.
3) The sending out of the Canadian Guidelines to all GP surgeries in Kent
There has been an international booklet from Canada, published since 2005, of specific guidelines to GPs and medical practitioners. Although not perfect, it is probably the best one to date and certainly beats the rubbish most doctors in the U.K. are fed with about M.E.(CFS) by the NHS. The Grace Charity has sent a copy of these guidelines to every GP surgery and community matron team in Kent and Medway.
Project Completed.
4) Kent NHS hospitals
All Kent NHS hospitals and some selected London and East Sussex hospitals have been given copies of the Hospital Booklet and the Canadian Guidelines. Eleven Kent-based private hospitals have also been sent the booklets.
Project Completed.
5) Challenging Kumar and Clark’s Clinical Medicine
Several individuals as well as M.E. charities have been involved in written correspondence with the publishers of this book, Elsevier, requesting that M.E. be taken out of the Psychology/Functional Somatic Syndromes/Liaison Psychiatry sections and placed in the neurology or immunity section of the book. It also has other physical conditions such as Fibromyalgia, Irritable Bowel Syndrome and Multiple Chemical Sensitivity in the Liaison Psychiatry section as well. This book is dipped into by GPs, nurses etc. as it is ‘user friendly’. It is also used to educate medical students. We have launched a petition requesting changes to the entry of ME/CFS in their book.
The petition has now gone live: Petition · ME/CFS: Changing the Definition · Change.org
6) Tests for M.E.
Unfortunately, there aren’t many tests available on the NHS for M.E., but we have compiled a list of tests on our Practical Guidance page http://www.thegracecharityforme.org/guidance.asp which you might be able to get privately or on the NHS. Please let us know of NHS tests you’ve had done to bring about an M.E. diagnosis.
Ongoing project.
7) Recommended M.E. Consultants
We are compiling a list of recommended doctors (both private and on the NHS) with their permission, for sufferers to contact. Please contact us with recommended M.E. doctors and why you are recommending them. Please see Practical Guidance page for recommended doctors.
Ongoing project.
8) Dental leaflet
A dental leaflet for M.E. sufferers and dentists, find it on the Documents page.
Project completed.
9) Booklet entitled ‘Reasons why an M.E. sufferer may refuse GET & CBT’
We are currently working on this booklet, which will hopefully empower M.E. sufferers who refuse GET and CBT. In the meantime, you may find the following document useful for this subject: ‘Saying No Can Be Positive’ https://www.thegracecharityforme.org/documents/
Estimated project completion: Work in Progress.
10) Booklet warning the vulnerable re: unwanted End of Life care in hospitals: ‘No Hydration No Life’
Find it at https://www.thegracecharityforme.org/hazel-and-the-lcp/ or on the Documents page. Project completed.
11) A document empowering M.E. sufferers who may be at risk of unnecessary sectioning.
Project completed.
Also, find it on the Documents page.
12) Photography Project
We have been contacted by a photographer who plans to do a project on M.E. sufferers. He himself has M.E. and is an experienced photographer/film maker. Please contact him if you are interested in participating with his project: Jeremy Jeffs (Director, Magneto Films) jeremy@magnetofilms.com Tel: 020 7274 2986 / 07980 555 993
13) Art Project
Alison Larkman is an artist with M.E. based in Bristol. She has set up a project called ‘I would be here if I could.’ If you wish to take part, please send your message by October 6th 2023. http://www.iwouldbehereificould.com/