We received a note from Val Free about her May 12th event. Well Done Val! Our May 12, 2014 summary from Calgary - By Valerie Free My daughter, Jenna, and I had our third annual May 12 International Awareness Event in Calgary at Planet Organic south. It is interesting every year but this year, I could see more curiosity growing in the people who came by our table. Thankfully, I had many left-over packets and brochures from last year to offer, because I was not feeling as strong as some of the other years to prepare, due to the brutal weather fluctuations here in Calgary and illness severity. Thanks to Jenna, we did make it happen. Every year, it is becoming easier for me to present what is relevant because I realize how most people want small amounts of new information and yet it still seems effective at building awareness for ME, FM and MCS. May is Lyme Awareness month as well so I was ready with info should anyone ask. Luckily for me I also have celiac disease and it is Celiac Awareness month in May. That is the main attraction at our presentation table because so many people are struggling with this autoimmune disease or at least sensitivity or allergy to gluten and/or many other foods. Planet Organic kindly offered some gluten-free treats for people to try at our display...and hopefully it also helped their sales of those items. This definitely was the drawing card for our table. My friend and fellow patient, Lisa, and her daughter came by to sit with us for a while. We all had T-shirts on as well as ribbons from MEAO and wristbands from Invest in ME, and buttons that said Its not ME, its M.E. . We were all decked out....go big or go home I say. (I am sorry we didnt get a picture of the four of us together but we got busy and forgot) Although the afternoon started a bit slow with one lady relating ME/CFS to the fatigue of anemia, things got better. By the end of the three hours, many people stopped by: some very interested people who were looking for answers to their own health problems, or looking to help others with theirs, as well as professionals in the health care industry. Some great conversations ensued between the four of us and them. One of the most powerful bits of conversation I remember is when we were speaking about the ability to work: In a chat with one lady who was curious, I asked my friend Lisa about her ability to work (or not) since she became ill with CFS and FM. She said it had been 19 years; and for me, personally, I have been unable to work for nearly 20 years at a job of any sort. The look on the ladys face who was listening was astonishment. The visiting professionals were eager to take the packets on both celiac disease and neuro-immune illness, and said they deal with these every day in their alternative practices and in their personal lives. One young chiropracter was happy to get more information as she was giving a public talk at Planet Organic in the next week and might incorporate some of the new knowledge she picked up. People are interested, and perplexed, by the amount of information available on diseases they were not aware of - or had misperceptions about - and that is why it is important to make our presence known each year for at least one day. Everyone, no matter their primary interest, was wowed by the Light up the Night Challenge and we shared pictures with them from the Press Release of the National ME/FM Action Network. Thank you to Planet Organic and all those who could participate in International Awareness Day May 12, 2014, and also to those who live with these illnesses, whether you can participate or not. Progress is being made and we have felt it even over the last three years. Chins up, everyone. We are getting there! Next year I hope to have my book published about the ME/CFS and neuro-immune illness community, and that will be another eye opener: a new tool to build awareness which will help us to create the changes we need for care, cure and prevention. Best, Valerie Free
Posted on: Sat, 31 May 2014 16:51:56 +0000
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