According to a story from gazettelive.co.uk, Jenni Mawson, who is currently 19 years old, has faced a years long struggle with chronic fatigue syndrome, which is also known as myalgic encephalomyelitis. The young woman had to deal with the disorder through much of her teenage years after contracting a glandular fever when she was 11. Now that her condition is more stable, she is hoping to give back to the organization that helped her recover from this chronic illness.
About Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Chronic fatigue syndrome is a rare condition which is most characterized by long term fatigue and other symptoms which severely impact a person’s ability to fulfill daily tasks. The exact cause of the syndrome is poorly understood. Risk factors may include family history, low physical fitness, old age, mental health problems, and allergies. Women are also more likely to get the syndrome than men. The characteristic symptoms is severe, persistent fatigue that has no definitive cause and is not resolved with rest; other symptoms include difficulty sleeping, worsening of symptoms following exercise, night sweats, sensitivities to certain foods, noise, or odors, muscle and joint pain, headaches, irritable bowel syndrome, and sore throat. Symptoms may appear gradually or suddenly, and in severe cases can leave a patient bedridden. Some treatments may include energy management strategies such as pacing and changes in diet. To learn more about chronic fatigue syndrome, click here.
Jenni’s Story
Jenni says that many people thought that her condition mean that she was simply tired, but that it is a disservice to patients to understand chronic fatigue syndrome in that way. The syndrome ultimately forced Jenni to stop attending school, and at times should couldn’t leave her bed. Jenni was fortunate to get the help she needed from ME North East, a nonprofit which is committed to the chronic fatigue syndrome patient community and helps patients in need seek effective care.
Getting Help and Giving Back
They helped Jenni transfer to a different school and manage her condition much more effectively. Now, Jenni has been able to live more actively than in years past. She hopes to start a business in beauty therapy. However, times have been tight for ME North East, which is slated to have its children’s services funding cut off.
To help keep the program afloat, Jenni organized a fundraising ball to give back to the organization that helped turn her life around. To learn more about ME North East, click here.
