There are an estimated 30,000 San Diegans with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) and that number is predicted to increase 2x-5x as 10%-15% of long COVID patients get diagnosed with ME/CFS. ME/CFS is a complex, disabling neuroinflammatory disease with no treatments or cure.  Only 5% of ME/CFS patients go into remission.  In order to be diagnosed with ME/CFS, you must be profoundly debilitated for a minimum of 6 months and show other painful symptoms.  25% of ME/CFS are severely ill and yet we are the least funded NIH disease by burden. ME/CFS San Diego is trying locally to raise awareness of ME/CFS, to help educate healthcare workers and researchers, to increase access and support for ME/CFS patients, and internationally to add our voices to ME/CFS advocacy actions.   Our goal is to be a part of improving life for ME/CFS patients.

If you have ME/CFS, are a caregiver of someone with ME/CFS, or love someone with ME/CFS, you know that our disease is misunderstood, minimized, and stigmatized.  75% of ME/CFS patients are unable to work, yet most can't access benefits because of our visual and/or auditory processing issues, cognitive issues, sensory issues, and disability.  There are very few reputable clinicians or clinics and many parts of the world still believe disproven myths.  Many diseases have patients who are still able to advocate and raise their voices.  But with ME/CFS most of us are invisibly, thoroughly disabled and many of our family members and friends have been falsely told that helping us is enabling our disease.  ME/CFS strikes predominantly females, minorities, and low-income patients but it is found in all age groups, income groups, races, ethnicities, cultures, genders, and locations.  If you have not connected before with ME/CFS, hopefully the decades of neglect and profound suffering of ME/CFS patients will move you.