BedFest

#BedFest is a virtual festival organised by #MEAction to highlight the experience of living with (severe) Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (M.E.) and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (C.F.S.) through creative contributions. #pwme were invited to depict aspects of their lives through song, poetry, spoken word, painting and photography. The festival premiered on Saturday, May 6th 2017, building up towards #MEAwareness Day.

#Bedfest was inspired by a meeting with musician and M.E. sufferer Kaeley Pruitt-Hamm, who had recorded her EP Hi From Pillows from bed (debuted in May 2017), and by Bedstock, a virtual concert where musicians performed from bed to honor sick children who are stuck in theirs. As part of #Bedfest, Kaeley re-released her music video, Believe Her. This powerful version shows the faces of people from three continents who want to raise awareness about the doubts and disregard they face regarding their illness.

The #BelieveME project hopes to address misconceptions (the focus on psychological and denial of physical causes) by encouraging people with M.E. to photograph themselves in their daily reality and spread those images worldwide.

As part of the festival, #Meaction hosted a community call where participants discussed their work and what it meant to be creative while living with M.E.