I think this is a very important thing for people with M.E. to do. I'm doing it. Here's my letter, which I am sending to my US Senators and my Congressional Representative. Since they are government representatives, my Senators and Congresswoman do not have separate email addresses so I'll have to copy and paste my letter, with the appropriate changes, into their online contact forms.
My letter:
As your constituent, I am very much concerned with the lack of funding for research of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (M.E.).
quote:
M.E. is a multi-system disease adversely affecting the heart, brain, immune system, nervous system, circulatory systems and muscles, including post-exertional malaise and neurological/cognitive manifestations.See:
www.imeassoc.comResearch to help people suffering debilitating illness from M.E., often homebound and bedbound for years, received $6 million in federal funding last year, while perfectly healthly HIV+ people received $3.1Billion.
quote:
NIH-Sponsored HIV/AIDS funding (2011) = $3,086,000,000
NIH-Sponsored CFS Research (2011) = $6,000,000
Source:
http://report.nih.gov/rcdc/categories/We are citizens and taxpayers. We used to be productive members of our society and we would like to be again. Please help us by funding research into this illness which is still mostly mystery 30 years after it achieved notoriety in the U.S.
Until I became ill with M.E. in 1986, I was a practicing lawyer, university professor and author. I am now homebound, unable to work and in constant pain.
Please fund the research to help us get well so we can do our part again.
Sincerely,
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Although I also send paper letters, I usually send emails. Here is the notice my Congressional Representative has posted on her website:
Constituent service is my top priority in Congress, and as such I want to hear from you. Your feedback is vital to ensuring that I am best representing the interests of our area. While I am happy to receive your letters sent through the post office, please know that due to the threat of anthrax and other biological weapons, mail continues to be irradiated at U.S. Post Offices in Washington, D.C. Because of these safety procedures, mail delivery can be delayed up to two to four weeks to my Washington, D.C. office. I would strongly encourage Central Florida residents to use the following form to contact me via email rather than sending information via postal mail. Please be certain you fill in all empty spaces on the email form. Items that must be sent via postal mail should be mailed to one of my district offices. Additionally, please feel free to call or fax either my district or Washington, D.C. offices.
