Hi, we are a group of friends who love our indescribable Tessa so very much - and are looking for your help to raise awareness and support for her struggle over the last few years.

Tessa has been completely debilitated in every aspect of her life over nearly 3 years living with ME/CFS. She has not been able to walk since July 2023, and is now completely restricted in her movement, the slightest of which can be severely painful and cause a worsening of her condition. Speaking, reading or listening to someone can cause over-exertion. This results in the need for full time care from her partner Neil.

ME/CFS is a deeply misunderstood, largely invisible, and too readily dismissed illness that leaves millions of people worldwide struggling in silence, with limited treatment options and few resources. Despite this impossible situation, Tessa continues to face each day with incredible strength and resilience and we are so proud of her.

We’ve started this campaign not only to draw attention to the condition on Tessa's behalf, but to help her in accessing necessary specialist treatment and additional resources.

Your contribution—whether through donating or sharing this page—will go a long way in helping us raise much-needed awareness and to ensure she can access the treatment she deserves, after years of being unsupported, undiagnosed and, in the worst cases, maltreated.

Together, we can shine a light on the struggles faced by so many with ME/CFS. Tessa's ultimate hope is to fight through this, and then help make a difference in the lives of others impacted by this condition.

Here's a highly recommended starter by George Monbiot, highlighting how under-funded and under-researched this complex and horrific illness can be:

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2024/mar/12/chronic-fatigue-syndrome-me-treatments-social-services

And please also take a look at this national campaign #ThereForME that's recently launched, including an open letter signed by over 2000 signatories to Wes Streeting (current Secretary of Health & Social Care) in August 2024. Through the toolkit below you can write to your MP, sign up to a substack for further info and access/sign the open letter:

https://linktr.ee/ThereForME

Please watch this space for upcoming fundraising events, articles and updates.

Thank you so much for your kindness and generosity!

Love - on behalf of Tessa,

Alex, Ali, Atousa, Bo, Celia, Emma, Jamie, Lilli, Lucy, Sarah and Sophia