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Whitney Dafoe
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[[File:Whitney Dafoe - before illness.png|300px|thumb|right|Whitney before becoming ill with ME]] '''Whitney Dafoe''' is the son of Dr. [[Ronald Davis]] and Dr. [[Janet Dafoe]] and is severely affected by [[ME/CFS|myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome]] (ME/CFS). Prior to becoming [[Severe and very severe ME#verysevere|very severely ill]] with ME/CFS, Dafoe was an adventurer and photographer who traveled extensively. His journeys took him to all 50 states, India, Nepal, and Ecuador.<ref name="stanmed">{{Cite web|url=http://stanmed.stanford.edu/2016spring/the-puzzle-solver.html | title = The puzzle solver | last = Archibald | first=Timothy | authorlink= | date = 2016 | website = Stanford Medicine|language=en|archive-url=|archive-date=|url-status=|access-date=2020-01-20}}</ref> ==Unrest== [[File:Whitney.JPG|300px|thumb|Whitney has a very severe form of ME. He can no longer speak nor handle contact with anyone but his parents due to [[visual dysfunction]]]] Whitney Dafoe was one of several patients with severe ME who featured in the film [[Unrest]], which also included interviews with his mother, psychologist Dr [[Janet Dafoe]], and his father, scientist and researcher Dr [[Ronald Davis|Ron Davis]].<br style="clear"> ==After the release of ''Unrest''== After the release of the movie [[Unrest]], public interest in Whitney Dafoe increased, with Google suggesting people search frequently searching for his obituary or death - despite the fact he remains alive despite being so severely ill<ref name="twitter" /> - as well as seeking information about [[Ativan]], also known as Lorazepam, a drug that was shown to briefly help him in ''Unrest''.<ref name="Brea2019" /> In summer 2019, Whitney finally met ME advocate and film maker [[Jen Brea|Jennifer Brea]].<ref name="Brea2019">{{Cite web|url=https://medium.com/@jenbrea/meeting-whitney-cf179fdad0a9 | title = Meeting Whitney | last =Brea | first = Jennifer | authorlink=Jennifer Brea | date = 2019-06-03 | website = Medium|language=en|archive-url=|archive-date=|url-status=|access-date=2020-01-20}}</ref> In December 2019, at Whitney's request, his sister Ashley Haugen, created a twitter account for him, followed by a Facebook page in January 2020.<ref name="twitter">{{Cite web|url=http://www.twitter.com/dafoewhitney | title = Whitney Dafoe (@DafoeWhitney)|website=Twitter|language=en|access-date=2020-01-20}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/whitneydafoe/ | title = Whitney Dafoe|website=Facebook|language=en|access-date=2020-01-20}}</ref> ==Improvement in health == In June 2020, Whitney posted on Facebook to say that he was experiencing what seemed to be a temporary improvement, and was able to write and communicate using his cell phone briefly.<ref name="Jun2020update">{{Cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/whitneydafoe/posts/169789574558743 | title = Whitney Dafoe | last =Dafoe | first = Whitney | authorlink=Whitney Dafoe | date = Jun 11, 2020 | website = Facebook|language=en|archive-url=|archive-date=|url-status=|access-date=2020-06-23}}</ref> He stated that he didn't know the reason for the improvement, but it may have been linked to an increased dose of Cortef ([[hydrocortisone]]) or [[Aripiprazole|Abilify]] (aripiprazole).<ref name="Jun2020update" /> Dafoe continues to rely fully on a [[tube feeding|feeding tube]] for nutrition and hydration, and can't tolerate the noise of others speaking without being sedated.<ref name="stanmed"/><ref name="Dafoe2021"/> ==The Puzzle Solver== In 2021, writer [[Tracie White]] and [[Ronald Davis|Dr Ronald W. Davis]], Whitney's father, published the book [[The Puzzle Solver: A Scientist's Desperate Quest to Cure the Illness that Stole his Son]], describing Whitney's battle with [[myalgic encephalomyelitis]] and his father's research to find a cure.<ref name="puzzlesolverbook">{{Cite book | title=The Puzzle Solver: A Scientist's Desperate Quest to Cure the Illness that Stole His Son|pages=|isbn=9781549177545|edition=1st|volume=|language=en-US|title-link=The Puzzle Solver: A Scientist's Desperate Quest to Cure the Illness that Stole his Son | url = |access-date=| date = January 31, 2021|publisher=Hachette Books | last =White | first = Tracie | author-link = Tracie White | last2 = Davis | first2 = Ronald W. | author-link2 = Ronald Davis|veditors=|others=|doi=|oclc=|quote=|archive-url=|archive-date=|location=New York}}</ref> ==The Living Death== In 2022, Whitney Dafoe was the Gold Winner at the European Photography Awards for his documentary entry ''The Living Death'', a series of photographs of his experience living with severe ME.<ref name="EPA2022">{{Cite web | title = Documentary - The Living Death|url=https://europeanphotoawards.com/winner-info.php?id=763|access-date=Aug 24, 2022 | website = European Photography Awards}}</ref> == Articles and interviews == * 2021, Extremely Severe ME/CFS—A Personal Account,<ref name="Dafoe2021">{{Cite journal | last =Dafoe | first = Whitney | authorlink=Whitney Dafoe | date = 2021-04-27 | title = Extremely Severe ME/CFS—A Personal Account|url=https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9032/9/5/504/htm|journal=Healthcare|language=en|volume=9|issue=5|pages=504|doi=10.3390/healthcare9050504|issn=2227-9032}}</ref> - [https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9032/9/5/504/htm (Full text)] ==Online presence== *[https://www.facebook.com/whitneydafoe Facebook] *[http://www.twitter.com/dafoewhitney Twitter] *[https://www.instagram.com/whitneydafoe/ Instagram] *[http://www.whitneydafoe.com Website] *[https://www.whitneydafoe.com/mecfs/ ME/CFS Blog] ==See also== *[[Janet Dafoe]] *[[Ronald Davis]] *[[Open Medicine Foundation]] *[[Severe and very severe ME]] ==Learn more== *Jul 10, 2015, [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9_HwOUiImvw Invisible Illness - Stories of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9_HwOUiImvw | title = Invisible Illness - Stories of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome | last =Dafoe | first = Whitney | date = Jul 10, 2015 | website = YouTube|publisher=Palo Alto Online|archive-url=|archive-date=|url-status=|access-date=}}</ref> *Oct 5, 2015, [https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/with-his-son-terribly-ill-a-top-scientist-takes-on-chronic-fatigue-syndrome/2015/10/05/c5d6189c-4041-11e5-8d45-d815146f81fa_story.html With his son terribly ill, a top scientist takes on chronic fatigue syndrome]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/with-his-son-terribly-ill-a-top-scientist-takes-on-chronic-fatigue-syndrome/2015/10/05/c5d6189c-4041-11e5-8d45-d815146f81fa_story.html | title = With his son terribly ill, a top scientist takes on chronic fatigue syndrome | last =Tucker | first = Miriam| date = Oct 5, 2015 | website = Washington Post|language=en|archive-url=|archive-date=|url-status=|access-date=2018-10-13}}</ref> *Oct 19, 2015, [http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p035n9g6 Scientist dad searches for cure for sick son]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p035n9g6 | title = Scientist dad searches for cure for sick son, Newshour - BBC World Service | last = | first = | date = Oct 19, 2015 | website = BBC|language=en-GB|archive-url=|archive-date=|url-status=|access-date=2018-10-13}}</ref> *Nov 4, 2015, [http://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2015/11/04/454335755/chronic-fatigue-syndrome-research-gains-funding-and-controversy Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Research Gains Funding, And Controversy]<ref>{{Cite news | url=http://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2015/11/04/454335755/chronic-fatigue-syndrome-research-gains-funding-and-controversy | title = Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Research Gains Funding, And Controversy | last =Tucker | first = Miriam| date = Nov 4, 2015 |work=NPR.org|access-date=2018-10-13|archive-url=|archive-date=|url-status=|publisher=NPR|language=en}}</ref> *2016, [http://stanmed.stanford.edu/2016spring/the-puzzle-solver.html The puzzle solver: A researcher changes course to help his son] *Mar 24, 2016, [http://stepville.com/2016/03/24/therein-lies-your-calling/ Therein Lies your Calling]<ref>{{Cite news | url=http://stepville.com/2016/03/24/therein-lies-your-calling/ | title = Therein Lies your Calling | first = Stephanie | last =Land| date = 2016-03-24|work=Stepville|access-date=2018-10-13|language=en-US}}</ref> *May 2, 2016, [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vfZwqLjDR4w Whitney Dafoe Palo Alto Online 2015 video - short]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vfZwqLjDR4w | title = Whitney Dafoe Palo Alto Online 2015 video - short | last =Dafoe | first = Whitney | date = May 2, 2016 | website = YouTube|publisher=Mary Dimmock|archive-url=|archive-date=|url-status=|access-date=}}</ref> *Oct 24, 2016, [https://blog.longreads.com/2016/10/24/the-love-of-a-thousand-muskoxen-grieving-a-love-lost-to-time-and-sickness/ The Love of a Thousand Muskoxen: Grieving a Love Lost to Time and Sickness]<ref>{{Cite news | url=https://blog.longreads.com/2016/10/24/the-love-of-a-thousand-muskoxen-grieving-a-love-lost-to-time-and-sickness/ | title = The Love of a Thousand Muskoxen: Grieving a Love Lost to Time and Sickness | last =Land | first = Stephanie | date = 2016-10-24|work=Longreads|access-date=2018-10-13|archive-url=|archive-date=|url-status=|language=en-US}}</ref> * Jun 3, 2019, [https://medium.com/@jenbrea/meeting-whitney-cf179fdad0a9 Meeting Whitney] - Jen Brea ==References== {{Reflist}} [[Category:People with ME, CFS, and/or FMS]]
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