In general, the wider community doesn’t take the global Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome crisis as seriously as it should. Yes, it’s a crisis. In the UK alone, there are 250,000+ patients with an economic burden of over £3.3 BILLION per year (2017 statistics). Worldwide, most countries have not done any research into the condition or …
I am baffled. Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (M.E./C.F.S) is not a new condition. The illness itself, under various names, has been around for at least 150 years (Florence Nightingale herself is said to have had an M.E-like illness and was bedbound for part of her life) and was classified as neurological by the World Health …
This blog is inspired by an online conversation I had this evening with an employment specialist. His comment wasn’t taken negatively, it just made me aware that much more awareness is needed as to why Stripy Lightbulb CIC is needed. We were discussing M.E/C.F.S patients and employment, I was explaining that only patients with a …
I first had the idea to create an M.E./C.F.S. training organisation around 2 years ago. My 5 years or so of being an M.E./C.F.S. advocate and 12 years of being an M.E. patient had opened my eyes about the desperate need for education about M.E./C.F.S amongst professionals who have a duty of care over the …
Read moreMy Social Entrepreneur ‘Journey’ by Managing Director Sally Callow
Since becoming an M.E./C.F.S. advocate in 2014, I have had many conversations with people from outside the M.E./C.F.S community who are sure in their belief that people in less developed countries aren’t able to ‘give in’ to M.E./C.F.S. and have to ‘push through’. These people believe that M.E./C.F.S. is a developed-world illness that simply doesn’t …
During the six months prior to launching Stripy Lightbulb CIC last September, I undertook extensive market research and I did a SWOT analysis. As is the case for a majority of businesses I’m sure. However, how many businesses discover that there is no equivalent worldwide? I did. It was my equivalent of Starbucks doing their …
A research study conducted by the Crohn’s and Colitis UK charity was published today, the study looked into the discrimination experienced by people suffering from invisible disabilities. This is of particular interest to Stripy Lightbulb and myself as an M.E./C.F.S. patient as M.E./C.F.S. is an invisible disability. The study concluded that Crohn’s and Colitis patients experienced …
Stripy Lightbulb CIC is not affiliated to any particular M.E./C.F.S. charity and this decision was not taken lightly by our Directors. As you will see when you take part in our e-training, M.E./C.F.S. is a complex condition that is surrounded by wide-ranging complicated social and economic issues. This means that each individual charity and advocacy …
Why should you do OUR e-training? Our Founder and Managing Director Sally has M.E./C.F.S herself. In fact, she has had the condition twice. Both in her childhood and for the past 12 years. She has also been a global M.E./C.F.S. campaigner with her fun advocacy brand (turned not-for-profit) ME Foggy Dog. She has personally experienced …
Firstly we, Stripy Lightbulb CIC, think #Valuable500 has amazing potential for increasing inclusivity and diversity in the workplace. We hope it lives up to their Twitter bio which states – #Valuable500 exists to release the social & economic potential of 1.3 billion people. What is #Valuable? It launched 24 January 2019. https://businessdisabilityforum.org.uk/media-centre/news/the-valuable-500-launches-at-the-world-economic-forum-annual-summit What concerns Stripy Lightbulb CIC …
Read more#Valuable500 – Putting disability on the business leadership agenda.