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Let's March On A MILLION!

Messages
28
http://www.investinme.org/IIME-Newslet-1503-01.htm

March 2015

Last month (February 2015) marked a major landmark in ME research, and Invest in ME’s history, with the milestone being reached of IiME’s supporters raising £500,000 –for biomedical research into ME. 2015 will mark the beginning of the 10th year of Invest in ME as a charity and also see the 10th Invest in ME International biomedical research conference.

These events have allowed Invest in ME to initiate possibly the two most important research projects for ME in the UK: a gut microbiota study in the Norwich Research Park with IFR/UEA and a project leading to a clinical trial of the rituximab drug in cooperation with UCL.

March 2015 begins with a total of £502,000 donated or raised or pledged for Invest in ME Biomedical Research Funds since the Let’s Do It For ME team launched a campaign to help the charity fulfil its plans to establish a centre of excellence for ME (myalgic encephalomyelitis).

Now the call goes out to march on to raising £1 million – a figure which would not only consolidate the biomedical research which we have underway but would also expand and allow new research ideas to be incorporated.

Can we reach £1m by May 2015? A wonderful way to help celebrate the 10th anniversary year of Invest in ME Charity and the 10th International ME Conference. Can we do it?

With you and the help of your equally amazing friends and families .. YES WE CAN!

Kindly summed up in last Friday's edition of this unmissable weekly column:

"The reason I’m so proud of one of the charities I support Invest In ME is because it’s run entirely by a few volunteers who themselves either suffer with the illness or are parents of children with ME. There are no salaries; every penny that’s raised goes where it should go and alongside the Lets Do It For ME team who are also voluntary, what they have achieved is nothing short of phenomenal."
- Stacy Hart, Watford Observer.

The Let's Do It For ME and Invest in ME websites are being revamped and we'll post more March updates soon. Meanwhile, you can also find us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter @Letsdoit4ME.

The Let’s Do It for ME email is: fundraising4me@gmail.com

The press release issued by Invest in ME on 21st February regarding the £1/2 million raised may be read in full on the website or in pdf.

Here's an extract:

Five years ago Invest in ME created a proposal for a Centre of Excellence for translational biomedical ME research. The centre would provide clinical assessment, diagnosis and treatment for patients andtraining and information for healthcare staff and work collaboratively with international researchers.

With comparatively few resources the charity (all volunteers) and its supporters have established a foundation which could provide a real basis for future development and which will lead to better understanding and treatments for this physical illness.

The model we have is, with enough support, able to continue and expand and augment and achieve a real breakthrough in ME research in UK and Europe and the world.

Let’s Do It for ME is a patient-driven campaign to raise awareness and vital funds for the centre of excellence. The campaign was set up in2011 and is run by ME patients who have the same objectives as the charity - high quality biomedical research resulting in a better understanding of the pathogenesis of ME as well as in the development of appropriate treatments. The campaign has supporters from all over the world and it has forced change through imaginative ideas, selfless efforts, dedication and positivity - a Can Do approach to a disease where so many have suffered unnecessarily for too long.

It is the Let's Do It for ME spirit - empowerment of patients and their families for action, a Can Do approach and positive campaigning and fundraising.

Together we are trying to improve the future for people with ME and their families and after reaching a milestone of £1/2 MILLION we are ready to reach our next target of £1 MILLION.

Our thanks go to the patients and their carers and friends and relatives who have campaigned for change and forced action to be taken and please join us in reaching our next target. With enough support we can change things forever.

One small charity, one BIG Cause, one band of supporters – progress – change.

“Things do not have to be the way they are – we can change things.” - Dr Ian Gibson.

Let’s Do Change.

Let’s Do It For ME.

Contact: info@investinme.org tel: 02380 251719 or 07759 349743 *****

A BIG THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!

March 5th update - matching donation offer - http://bit.ly/1A15euJ

Ways To Donate (add Gift Aid if UK Tax-Payer)

Paypal paypal@investinme.org

Bank Transfer

Bank: Lloyds TSB Eastleigh Sorting code: 30-92-94 Account number: 02252685

Bank Transfer from outside the UK

IBAN: GB63 Loyd 3092 9402 2526 85 BIC/SWIFT: LOYDGB21209

Cheque

Payable to ‘Invest in ME’ to:

Invest in ME PO Box 561,
Eastleigh,
Hampshire,
SO50 0GQ

UK tax-payers can add Gift Aid to donations - Invest in ME Gift Aid form

JustGiving (worldwide - minimum £2 donations) https://www.justgiving.com/ldifme

JustTextGiving (UK only)

Text: BMER99 - £1-£5 or £10 - to 70070

You can choose to add your name and Gift Aid by text if eligible Text donations add to the totals on the Just Giving link above.

Other Ways to Help or Donate to Invest in ME http://www.investinme.org/helpus.htm

Contact: info@investinme.org tel: 02380 251719 or 07759 349743

References:

http://ldifme.org/
IiME Press Release February 2015
http://www.investinme.org/research.htm
http://www.investinme.org/IIME-Newslet-1306-06 IiME Foundation Project.htm
http://www.ukrituximabtrial.org/




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oceiv

Senior Member
Messages
259
This looks like a very promising campaign. Is there a sticky thread with info on all the research projects and orgs who are currently fundraising. If not, it might be a good resource to have.
 

Sasha

Fine, thank you
Messages
17,863
Location
UK
This looks like a very promising campaign. Is there a sticky thread with info on all the research projects and orgs who are currently fundraising. If not, it might be a good resource to have.

There isn't, and it would be great to have such a page, if someone was willing to do the work!
 

oceiv

Senior Member
Messages
259
@Sasha OK, thanks I didn't know if I just hadn't found it yet. If someone started such a list, it could be crowd-updated (as in repliers would have to copy, paste and then edit in new info). Would that process work at this site? Or are such lists on this site, generally maintained and updated by only one person?

Edit: If there were such a list, which section would be best for it?
 
Last edited:

Sasha

Fine, thank you
Messages
17,863
Location
UK
@Sasha OK, thanks I didn't know if I just hadn't found it yet. If someone started such a list, it could be crowd-updated (as in repliers would have to copy, paste and then edit in new info). Would that process work at this site? Or are such lists on this site, generally maintained and updated by only one person?

Excellent question! We have some sort of wiki-thing, I think, but I don't know anything about it.

@Kina, do you know?