Devastating ME leaves teen girl "unable to leave the house"

[John Mac]

A 17-year-old girl has become virtually housebound because of ME, which at its worst leaves her unable to lift her head from the pillow.

Rosie Halsall has suffered from the illness since she was nine, and last properly attended school in Maghull in 2014.

The teenager now has a bedroom on the ground floor of her parents’ home because she is often too weak to make it upstairs.

Also known as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, the condition leaves Rosie in a wheelchair and unable to walk or stand unaided.

In 2016, she spent six months in hospital as the illness ravaged her body.

https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/devastating-leaves-teen-girl-unable-14534145

 

[MeSci]

Good article.

 

[Hutan]

It's a nice and effective article; thanks Rosie for putting yourself out there.

Charles Shepherd's quotes are great. (@Russell Fleming)

MEA honorary medical adviser Charles Shepherd said: “There are many people, even within the medical profession, who continue to think ME is all in the mind. It’s about time we put this myth to bed once and for all.

“It is essential that youngsters like Rosie are not overlooked and the urgent need for proper recognition of, and research into, ME is recognised.

“Many doctors still don’t know how to diagnose and manage ME, and lack or research means that we still don’t have any effective forms of treatment.

“This is a completely unacceptable situation for a disease that is twice as common as multiple sclerosis and where a new report has estimated that it is costing the UK economy around £3.5billion in lost taxes, healthcare and benefit costs.”

 

[Allele]

So much love for the increasing media getting it right!

 

[Binkie4]

I think this is the second article that the Liverpool Echo has focussed on recently, both sympathetically written. Can @ladycatlover confirm this?

 

[Dr Carrot]

I think this is the second article that the Liverpool Echo has focussed on recently, both sympathetically written. Can @ladycatlover confirm this?

Yep. Tom Belger wrote the first one about a woman with severe ME, which also got syndicated to the Daily Mirror.

Edit: that piece is here if anyone is interested: https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/heartbroken-mum-who-can-only-12166605

 

[Amw66]

This kind of article is excellent.

 

[Russell Fleming]

Credit goes to our new PR manager John Siddle. He's really got the right contacts with the press and we have been trying to get the severe case studies we appealed for and received earlier this year into the press when and where we can. More is planned - as well as more general ME awareness studies - in the lead up and during ME Awareness Week, so stay tuned. But none of this recent activity could have been done without the very kind cooperation of the ME patient and/or their families for which I think we are all very grateful.

 

[Snow Leopard]

The article is good, but the case is