MEA - End of Amazon Ed's huge adventure
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Anyone else noticed that although they raised about 40,000 for Cancer Research, the ME Association and rainforest charities (why anyone would waste their time raising money for the mega-charity Cancer research is beyond me, but anyway), the total expedition cost 63,000 to mount. Might as well have stayed at home and just donated the money to charity!
There is a UK BBC News website link here (today - Monday) that mentions the ME Association (quite a way down).
His father died from cancer - hence the cancer research.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-10852783
(Not sure if this link will be available after today).
His father died from cancer - hence the cancer research.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-10852783
(Not sure if this link will be available after today).
One of the charities he was raising money for was the UK ME Association and specifically to help fund the set up of a Brain & Tissue Bank for study of post mortem samples in ME patients in the UK.
Dr Shepherd reports (in a previous edition of their magazine ME Essential) that some feasibility and cost studies have already been undertaken to see whether it would be practical to have a stand alone ME Brain & Tissue Bank, or whether to have the ME tissue samples included as part of a central/national Brain and Tissue bank for many other illnesses too such as MS, (I think the Medical Research Council runs/funds the main one?).
I think you're right Garcia, a bit more publicity from the ME charities outside their usual arenas wouldn't go amiss. It may be that UK funds are really tight of course - there are far fewer of us than contribute to the big American charities.
But also probably each news story tends to have 1 main theme/focus - and walking the entire length of the Amazon is a HUGE achievement worthy of coverage in its own right probaby a film - definitely a book. The Brazilians wouldn't even help Ed as they thought it couldn't be done (the song 'Mad Dogs and Englishmen) comes to mind!
Really glad to see Sir Ranulph Fiennes backing him.
Re ME publicity - It would be great to see some giant posters going up in London in the middle of the night right in front of the MRC and Kings College for eg - "ME - devastating neuroimmune illness leading to death - no funding by the UK government" - then picture of a grave. (Ok I'll think this through and come up with something better!)
Dr Shepherd reports (in a previous edition of their magazine ME Essential) that some feasibility and cost studies have already been undertaken to see whether it would be practical to have a stand alone ME Brain & Tissue Bank, or whether to have the ME tissue samples included as part of a central/national Brain and Tissue bank for many other illnesses too such as MS, (I think the Medical Research Council runs/funds the main one?).
I think you're right Garcia, a bit more publicity from the ME charities outside their usual arenas wouldn't go amiss. It may be that UK funds are really tight of course - there are far fewer of us than contribute to the big American charities.
But also probably each news story tends to have 1 main theme/focus - and walking the entire length of the Amazon is a HUGE achievement worthy of coverage in its own right probaby a film - definitely a book. The Brazilians wouldn't even help Ed as they thought it couldn't be done (the song 'Mad Dogs and Englishmen) comes to mind!
Really glad to see Sir Ranulph Fiennes backing him.
Re ME publicity - It would be great to see some giant posters going up in London in the middle of the night right in front of the MRC and Kings College for eg - "ME - devastating neuroimmune illness leading to death - no funding by the UK government" - then picture of a grave. (Ok I'll think this through and come up with something better!)