M.E. disease

Press, 27 April 1984, Page 12

M.E. disease

Sir,—The recent article on M.E. (April 14) deserves high praise for the efforts of all involved to achieve public awareness of this dreadful disease. That you have had little or no response in your column from sceptics hopefully means they got the message and are no longer complacent. Fellow sufferers know from humiliating experience that their applause may be misconstrued as hysteria. Many will lack energy to write, more will be unable to marshal their confused thoughts, so I say thank you on their behalf, since this is one of my better days. M.E. is not the latest fashionable “lurgi,” it is a life-shattering experience. The increasing incidence, and recognition of it seem to be the major problems, now being ably addressed by Professor Murdoch and his research team. No-one should be complacent, all should be concerned.—Yours, etc., GECE COOKE. April 24, 1984.

Sir,—lnterested readers of your informative page on myalgic encephalomyelitis would probably like to know that the real trail-blazer group in this field was established in Auckland some two or three years ago by Toni Jeffereys, author of “The Mile High Staircase,” published by Hodder and Stoughton. This book was Toni Jefferey’s account of her own journey through this illness and of the accompanying research that she and her husband did. It is invaluable to sufferers and of considerable interest to nont sufferers. Its style is interesting and readable and a great deal of its

content is relevant to other conditions. — Yours, etc., ALICE RIVERS, Orakei, Auckland. April 20, 1984.