Emerge Australia welcomes Federal Government’s announcement today

of $3M in research funding for ME/CFS.

Dr Heidi Nicholl, CEO of Emerge Australia, the peak body representing people with ME/CFS in Australia, welcomed the Federal Government’s research funding announcement today.

“This is a fantastic initiative which brings hope to more than 240,000 Australians who suffer from the debilitating condition known as Mylagic Encephalomyeltis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS).

“By committing to fund research the Federal Government has recognised that more needs to be done to define biomarkers for the condition, develop treatments, and eventually find a cure,” Dr Nicholl said.

Emerge Australia recently convened an International Research Symposium in Australia which brought together the leading researchers in Australia and from around the world.

“I want to thank the Federal Health Minister, Mr Greg Hunt, for hearing our plea,” Dr Nicholl said.

“I also want to thank each and every person in the ME/CFS community who has helped the advocacy effort. This is for everyone who wrote a letter, asked for a meeting with a politician, met with a politician, took a photo for #MillionsMissing, joined a group online, told their story to us.. and all of the many, many other individual pieces of advocacy that you all did.

“We especially want to thank the two consumer representatives, Simone Eyssens (Research Director at Emerge Australia) and Penelope McMillan, who gave hours and hours in preparation, meetings and consultation to the recent NHMRC Advisory Committee into ME/CFS. Their incredible hard work and dedication to improving the quality of life of people with ME/CFS has really helped Australia to start moving the dial.

“$3M will attract new researchers into the field and provide a welcome kick-start to the labs currently working in this area in Australia.

“It also sends a message to the world that Australia is starting to see us - and hear us.

“The message is loud and clear. ME/CFS is a devastating illness with a biomedical origin. And we want to cure it,” Dr Nicholl said.

ENDS

For media information, please contact Jonathan Raymond, 03 9663 3222, 0418 534 811, jonathan@medialinkproductions.com

About Emerge Australia

Emerge Australia Inc (www.emerge.org.au) advocates for, educates about, and provides information on, Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME) more commonly known as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS). Established in 1980, Emerge Australia has been working with people affected by ME/CFS since then.

We believe that until a cure is found, people affected by ME/CFS can lead better lives by being understood and supported by the medical and general communities. Our role is to make sure that anyone affected by ME/CFS has the access they need to the support, education and advocacy that empowers them to make their lives more liveable.

With members and supporters Australia-wide, Emerge Australia works to improve the quality of life of anyone affected by this debilitating condition.