Shropshire ME Group

Shropshire ME Group

Shropshire ME Group (SMEG) is a patient charity that helps patients with ME/CFS/PVFS in and around Shropshire in the UK.

Aims

The Shropshire ME Group is a self-help support group which intends to provide advocacy, advice, and information for people in and around Shropshire suffering from ME/CFS/PVFS and their carers, in particular by the provision of a network of contacts for such persons in order to provide mutual support and information exchange.

Services

• Distribution of a bi-monthly newsletter offering the latest news, events and developments
• Volunteer-run local support groups
• Free library of books, articles and media recordings on M.E.
• Yearly conferences featuring leading M.E. specialists
• Occasional volunteer-run fund-raising events to support SMEG and M.E. research
• Occasional social events such as picnics and visits to accessible local attractions
• Production and distribution of an information leaflet intended to increase greater awareness of the illness
• Maintenance of the Shropshire ME Group website, which has offered information and support since 2001

History

Shropshire ME Group was founded in 1987 by local couple Reg and Josephine Watson, and became a registered charity in 1999. It currently has over 150 members.

Notable people

British author Katie Flynn and Conservative MP Philip Dunne are patrons of the Shropshire ME Group.

Funding

Shropshire ME Group has been a registered charity since 1999. Its charity number is 1072171. The charity is self-funding and relies on individual donations to raise funds, as well as occasional fund-raising events held by volunteers to support SMEG and M.E. research. They charge an annual membership fee of £5.

Online presence

• Website

See also

• Katie Flynn

myalgic encephalomyelitis (M.E.) - A disease often marked by neurological symptoms, but fatigue is sometimes a symptom as well. Some diagnostic criteria distinguish it from chronic fatigue syndrome, while other diagnostic criteria consider it to be a synonym for chronic fatigue syndrome. A defining characteristic of ME is post-exertional malaise (PEM), or post-exertional neuroimmune exhaustion (PENE), which is a notable exacerbation of symptoms brought on by small exertions. PEM can last for days or weeks. Symptoms can include cognitive impairments, muscle pain (myalgia), trouble remaining upright (orthostatic intolerance), sleep abnormalities, and gastro-intestinal impairments, among others. An estimated 25% of those suffering from ME are housebound or bedbound. The World Health Organization (WHO) classifies ME as a neurological disease.

myalgic encephalomyelitis (M.E.) - A disease often marked by neurological symptoms, but fatigue is sometimes a symptom as well. Some diagnostic criteria distinguish it from chronic fatigue syndrome, while other diagnostic criteria consider it to be a synonym for chronic fatigue syndrome. A defining characteristic of ME is post-exertional malaise (PEM), or post-exertional neuroimmune exhaustion (PENE), which is a notable exacerbation of symptoms brought on by small exertions. PEM can last for days or weeks. Symptoms can include cognitive impairments, muscle pain (myalgia), trouble remaining upright (orthostatic intolerance), sleep abnormalities, and gastro-intestinal impairments, among others. An estimated 25% of those suffering from ME are housebound or bedbound. The World Health Organization (WHO) classifies ME as a neurological disease.