About M.E./C.F.S.
Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (M.E.)/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (C.F.S.) is a disabling chronic illness without effective treatment options.
People living with the condition are finding that a lack of adequate, or appropriate, support and understanding adds significantly to the impact of the condition on their daily lives. This gap in knowledge is not a small issue, it shapes how people living with M.E./C.F.S. are treated, how seriously their symptoms are taken, and whether they receive the care, support, or understanding they need.
Globally, most M.E./C.F.S. charities opt for “M.E., otherwise known as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.” The current agreed consensus is to refer to the condition as M.E./C.F.S., and Stripy Lightbulb CIC follows the lead of charities.
Stripy Lightbulb CIC steers clear of the confusion and educate about the true nature of the condition, what the chronic illness feels like for people living with it, regardless of which diagnostic criteria was used, or what name is logged in medical records.
Not only are the M.E./C.F.S. community living with an illness that is often life‑altering, but we also have to deal with ill treatment in the form of disbelief, dismissal, and lack of empathy from those who have a duty of care over us. This is where Stripy Lightbulb CIC’s mission and business strategic objectives become essential.
We are tackling these issues through education, educating professionals, organisations, and communities so they understand the reality of M.E./C.F.S., the severity of symptoms, and the harm caused by outdated assumptions. Education is the foundation for change: it reduces stigma, improves care, and empowers people to respond appropriately to this complex condition.
M.E./C.F.S. is the last common illness that too little is known about, globally. In the UK, around 400,000 people have been diagnosed with the condition, but many thousands more are still going through a long, drawn‑out diagnostic process. In 2019, it was believed that 17–30 million people had the condition worldwide, and it was already considered a global health crisis. The COVID‑19 pandemic is now causing the number of people who meet the diagnostic criteria for M.E./C.F.S. to increase significantly around the world.
THERE IS NO EFFECTIVE TREATMENT FOR M.E./C.F.S.
M.E./C.F.S. is a complex neurological condition entangled in long‑standing political barriers, making meaningful acknowledgement of this severely debilitating illness by the establishment one of the community’s most persistent challenges.
Many medical professionals have been slow to recognise the illness as valid, and that ongoing delay has caused immense harm to patients. Worldwide, great work is being done by researchers to establish a globally accepted diagnostic criteria and to discover effective treatments, but these things take time, and no significant breakthroughs have been made yet.
However, momentum is building and everyone at Stripy Lightbulb CIC is hoping that exciting developments will be made soon. In the meantime, education remains the most powerful tool we have.
By educating professionals, organisations, and the wider public, Stripy Lightbulb CIC is actively reducing harm, improving understanding, and helping to build a future where people with M.E./C.F.S. are finally treated with the seriousness, compassion, and respect they deserve.
