Spring 2014 Meeting Dates Wellington Meetings:Alternating venues on the first Monday of the month, 12.30am to 2.30pm at:

November 3rd :Johnsonville Community Centre,

3 Frankmoore Avenue, Johnsonville

December 1st : Anvil House 138-140 Wakefield Street, Wellington

Lower Hutt Meetings:

Every second Tuesday of the month, 1pm to 3pm at Room 1, Russell Keown House (formerly Apex House), corner of Queens Drive and Laings Road, Lower Hutt.

November 11th and December 9

Kapiti Meetings:

Every third Wednesday of the month, 11am to 1pm at Waimea Café, 1 Waimea Road, Waikanae Beach

November 19th and December 17th

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PO Box 13-029 Johnsonville, Wellington 6440 P 0800 632 847E wellingtonmecfs@gmail.com W http://wellmecfs.wordpress.com/

Painting by Gerda Smit (see bio P.4)

From the Chair

When I was tidying my office recently, I came across Hubbards’ cereal box newsletter: Clipboard Issue 107. I had kept this because it referred to research by Professor Richard Florida (USA) in to why some cities were better places to live in than others.

“One of the lesser known conclusions that he came up with was there is a direct correlation between the “social health” of a city and the level of volunteer activity in that city. Simply put, those cities with the highest levels of voluntary work on a per capita basis also had the most satisfied populations. Of course you might ask which comes first... Richard elaborated by saying that a high level of voluntary work causes social cohesion and benefits the givers as much as the receivers.”

As our 2013/2014 year comes to a close, I would like to take the opportunity to thank our own volunteers. Firstly to our Executive Committee: Dick and Shirley Fernyhough, Martin Buck, Jay Vivian, Sandra Forsyth, Anita Maitland, Dominique Christian and Glender McArthur. Their hard work and commitment is the life blood of the organisation. I would also like to thank our Community Support Coordinator, Claire Laurenson. Although she is employed by us, and certainly has made a significant contribution to Well Me in that capacity, she has also donated a great deal of her own time as well.

Then there are the volunteers who helped us out with our street collection in May this year. Thank you to Sue Winsor, Birgitt Hoen, her husband Rudi, Maureen Lee, Peter Jowett and to Lyla. Thank you also to our Committee members Dominique Christian, Shirley Fernyhough, and staff members Claire Laurenson, Jennifer Purvis and her daughter Sophie. Collections were held in Central Wellington, New World Thorndon, Johnsonville Shopping Mall, Pak’n Save Porirua and Coastlands Paraparaumu. We raised a total of $970.10. Given that we had 11 collectors (myself included) most of whom have ME/CFS, and with collections limited to a few hours at each location, we did quite well. Certainly the amounts collected per person are comparable with other charity collections. Imagine what we could achieve with an army of volunteers and an energetic person to organise them.

Thank you to the generous people who made donations to our organisation.

And finally, a thank you to those of you who help out at Support Group Meetings by directing people to the right meeting room, setting up and clearing away the dishes, chairs and tables and offering other members a ride home. Volunteers are a central part of our organisation and without their contribution Well Me would not exist.

As part of our May Awareness campaign I mentioned earlier, we also distributed information packs including our latest Newsletter and brochures to all medical practices in the Wellington and Kapiti Coast, as far as Otaki. Further mail-outs will very shortly be sent out to the Hutt Valley General Practices, including satellite suburbs to reflect the addition of new monthly Support Group Meetings in Lower Hutt.

Building from our Awareness campaign, our recently appointed Communications/Marketing Strategist Sandra Forsyth arranged for interviews with members of Well Me which were published in the Kapiti Observer, the Hutt News and the Upper Hutt Leader reaching an estimated readership of

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148,000. Further interviews and articles are planned for 2015 so keep your eyes and ears out on your local newspapers and radio stations.

As most of you will already be aware, Jennifer Purvis, our Administrative coordinator resigned in June due to ongoing health concerns. Jennifer’s contribution during the short time she was with us included: clearing the rather large backlog of emails; setting up cloud storage systems for our membership lists and Committee files which are cleverly linked to our Gmail lists; revamping our website; and energising our Facebook page. She also designed a new membership form and we have been trialling this over the past six months as a method of gathering useful information about the support needs of our members as well as statistical information needed for Grants applications. We wish Jennifer and her family well for the future.

Many of you will be familiar with Claire who has taken over facilitation of our Support Group Meetings as well as providing phone support to members. She also has been answering our 0800 number since Jennifer left. We are thrilled with her contribution and value her perspective on the role and we look forward to working with her over the next year and into the future.

We have also been busy establishing relationships with Arthritis New Zealand and Endometriosis New Zealand. As fibromyalgia comes under Arthritis NZ and many of our members have osteoarthritis, we have shared links on our Website and Facebook page to Arthritis NZ events calendar. Arthritis NZ has been advised of details of WellMe Support Group meetings and contact details for our Community Support Coordinator. We are also taking with Endometriosis NZ and hope to set up links with our websites.

WellMe support group details are now listed on the electronic mailing list sent from the Kapiti Community Centre each month. We plan to roll this out to other areas in due course

Some of you will be aware that we receive donated food through Kiwi Community Assistance. Indeed we have been very busy indeed distributing food to our support group members. Thank you to our Volunteer Coordinator Shirley Fernyhough without whom, this service would not be possible. Thank you to Sandra Forsyth for coordinating the Kapiti Group food distribution and to Claire for distributing to the Hutt Valley. Food distributed included bok choy, rice, tinned tomatoes, pears and gluten free muesli bars. We are searching for a coordinator for Wellington, so if you are able to help or know someone who is willing to help, please ring Shirley on (04) 2355101.

We have also been busy searching out local volunteer groups who can help us with food distribution. Shirley has been conducting a phone survey of selected members to ascertain the needs for transport assistance and any other volunteer assistance needed. This has revealed a range of requirements that we will be discussing with volunteer groups. We are also collecting information from membership forms. Thank you to those of you who have completed these forms.

Finally, we held our Annual General Meeting on 6 October. We had a great turn out this year. Thank you to those of you who came to hear what we had been up to over the past year and to raise questions. We had some lovely food, especially those yummy gluten free savouries, hand delivered by Panama Bakery. Sandra Forsyth gave a very moving speech about her journey with Sjogren’s and the importance of finding support in all its forms. You can read her poem on page9 on “Tired Tarts and Munted Men”.

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Catherine Kunz-Entwistle

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Cover Artist WellME member - Gerda Smit

Gerda Smit, a member of our support group, has been donating 10% of her on-line art sales to WellMe since May this year: a total so far of $200.00. Congratulations Gerda for your successful art sales.

About the artist: Gerda Smit

My paintings are the breath of my soulIn every brush stroke you will find meI celebrate lifeMake people smileMy marks are bold and colorful

I paint boatsheds and flowers They are like people to meEach have its own story ……..Just like us…the same but so different

I am blessed with a talent to paintAnd a gift to encourageMy past was in South AfricaAnd my future in New Zealand

My work demonstrates contentboth on a storytelling and inner life

I am a full time wife/mother/artist/tutorI have to paint/create it is part of how I amGod is my Creator I am made in His image

You can find Gerda’s art on: O https://www.arthome-arthome.blogspot.com O https://www.facebook.com/gerda.smit1O https://www.etsy.com/shop/PaintingGerdaSmit O https://touch.trademe.co.nz

Gerda also sells bookmarks and greeting cards of her paintings, including Christmas cards (which we all need to start thinking about). Gerda also teaches art. As Gerda lives with ME/CFS herself, she understands the challenges the illness can bring and offers one to one art classes which are ideal for those of us who find group environments difficult to concentrate in. She is also flexible enough for you to book a session on the day that you feel well enough. She charges a very reasonable $15.00 an hour, for up to 2 hours at a time.

You can bring your own paint or use hers for an extra fee of $5.00.

You can email Gerda at gerda@arthome.co.nz or ring her from November at (04) 2323007.

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New Exercise Study Brings Both Illumination and QuestionsAUGUST 20, 2014 via PhoenixRising

Simon McGrath looks at new objective evidence of abnormal response to exercise in ME/CFS patients, and the questions that researchers are still trying to answer …

Given the doubt, scepticism and even denial of benefits that often confronts ME/CFS patients, it’s not surprising that many patients crave clear-cut, objective evidence of physiological problems in the illness. Preferably something that will explain at least some of the perplexing symptoms. Something that will say: “this is real”.

And finally it seems researchers might be closing in on this. Two-day maximal exercise tests promise to provide objective evidence for the most striking and unusual feature of the illness, the exhaustion and flare of symptoms following exercise, called post-exertional malaise.

A couple of studies by researchers at Workwell showed distinctive abnormalities on these tests, and now another researcher, Dr. Betsy Keller of Ithaca College ,  has found them in an independent study.

But, as usual, science is messy, and these studies raise almost as many questions as they answer. While all three studies find substantial abnormalities, key details vary between them... Read on: http://phoenixrising.me/archives/25762

Fatigue Explained? Japanese Assert Brain Damage Causes Fatigue in Chronic Fatigue SyndromeBy Cort Johnson on September 3, 2014:

A Central Nervous System Hypothesis of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

“...neurophysiological and neuroimaging studies in combination with subjective or a newly developed objective evaluation method of chronic fatigue have begun to clarify the mechanisms underlying chronic cognitive fatigue …”

Deciding that ‘chronic fatigue’ had become not just an illness problem but a productivity concern for their economy, the Japanese initiated a program a couple of decades ago to understand and treat it. They note that a third of the Japanese population complains of “chronic fatigue” and that “chronic fatigue” contributes to cardiovascular conditions, epilepsy, and early death. Their program has encompassed all levels of fatigue from chronic fatigue to chronic fatigue syndrome. We’ve missed out on a lot of their work focused on fatigue because it doesn’t show up in searches for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS). Japan hosts one of the largest efforts to understand chronic fatigue and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. Relative to the most of the rest of the world, the Japanese program is a large one – probably larger than the NIH/CDC efforts in the U.S. Led by Drs. Watanabe and Tanaka, it was the Japanese that found the first direct evidence of neuroinflammation in the brains of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome patients. The Japanese doctors believe they understand enough of the origins of chronic physical and cognitive fatigue in ME/CFS to develop a hypothesis about how they develop and why they persist.

Read more:

http://www.cortjohnson.org/blog/2014/09/03/fatigue-explained-japanese-brain-damage-chronic-fatigue-syndrome/

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Summary of Research and Medical NewsAs reported from ‘Janice’s Blog from Europe’, authored by Janice Roseingrave a long term member of Wellme, formerly of Wellington but now based in Brussels.

The Role of Sleep in ME/CFS: Professor Jackson Ellis, Professor & Zoe Gotts PhD Student, of Northumbria Centre for Sleep Research:

Sleep is a significant issue in 87%-95% of those with ME/CFS (data collected from 32 studies throughout

Europe using thousands of patients). The main problem being no consistent pattern of sleep abnormality.

Three factors being considered

o Total Sleep Time (TST)

o Sleep Latency - how long does it take to get to sleep

o Sleep Arousal – how many times awake during the night.

Findings have found four groups with observable traits or characteristics:

o Group 1 – Sleep Onset Insomnia

o Group 2 – Normal sleep but unrefreshing due to pain or sensor gating (neurological process of

filtering out unnecessary brain stimuli from possible environmental stimuli)

o Group 3 –Hypersomnia

o Group 4 – Sleep Maintenance Insomnia.

Preliminary findings show 92% of those with ME has abnormal sleep patterns with no discernible

consistent pattern of abnormality.

Cortisol appears to (a) stable over successive days in ME population and (b) slightly elevated compared

to controls.

Refer http://youtu/be/eCtp-6W5dmM

Predictors of Post-Infectious Chronic Fatigue Syndrome in Adolescents – Journal of Clinical Nursing Reprint – 20 December 2013:

Aims & Objectives – to explore the experience of an adolescent with CFS.

Background – despite research CFS is poorly understood. Adolescents are often unable to attend school

and lose social connections with friends. The challenges they face affects their quality of life.

Method – 6 boys and 12 girls aged 12-18 were interviewed on their experiences with CFS.

Results – the sub-themes reflect their experience of social isolation, their own and others understanding of

the illness and hope for the future.

Feedback included:

o ‘on the outside of life – locked in and shut out’

o ‘the body, the illness and me’

o ‘if the illness is not visible to others, does it exist?’

o ‘handling life while hoping for a better future’

o ‘sometimes it feels as if the world goes on without me’.

Conclusions – not being able to be with friends or attend school made the adolescents feel different,

forgotten, alienated in their own bodies, invisible to themselves and their surroundings. Some spent less

time with friends and more with parents which was felt a threat to their independence and development.

Over all they managed to envisage a better future despite all their difficulties.

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Relevance for Clinical Practice – to provide effective support for adolescents with CFS and provide insight

to health professionals.

Recommendation – health centres function as resource centres for patients and healthcare professionals.

A more in-depth summary has been posted on our website: www.wellmecfs.wordpress.com/category/article

Sandra Forsyth, Waikanae, 7 September 2014

Transport OptionsAs you are no doubt be aware transport options for medical and hospital appointments in the Greater Wellington Region (and nationwide) are a grave source of concern to not only WellMe members but to other chronically unwell people accessing the health sector. Below are the few options presently available:

Te Awa Kairangi - Hutt Valley residents with mobility issues requiring transport to and from doctor or hospital appointments can access this free transport service through the Practice Nurse of their local Medical Centre (if that practice belongs to Compass Health the PHO).

Kapiti Red Cross Shuttle - the Red Cross operates a door to door service to Kenepuru and Wellington Hospitals each week day. The arrival time at Wellington is 10 am so appointments should be scheduled between 10.15 and 11.30 am (your clinic nurse can assist with this). To access telephone 04 298 4316 stating date, time, which clinic you are attending and your pick up address. This koha based service is well subscribed so it pays to book a week in advance.

PHO –Compass Health the PHO has formerly funded some transport to and from appointments. This is now severely restricted and may cease due to funding constraints. Check with your GP whether the practice is registered with the PHO and whether there is funding still available in your area.

Mobility Parking Permits - forms available through your GP, on line (www.mobilityparking.org.nz) or from CCS on 0800 227 225. Those without a car can still apply for their friends and family to use on the permit holder’s behalf. Your GP will need to assess you and sign off the form. Cost is $35 for a year or $50 for 5 years.

Met Link Taxi Chits – offer a 50% rebate on taxi fares accessed through a preloaded Snapper card for those with a permanent disability (ie CFS) which prevents the use of public transport. Eligibility is assessed on individual need - there is no criteria based on type of illness or disability. Enliven conducts a ten minute assessment - questions may include can you get to a bus stop and can you stand while waiting for the bus. To access contact Met Link’s Total Mobility Team on 0800 801 7000.

Should you need any further information or wish to discuss any of the above please contact the Community Support Coordinator Claire Laurenson on 04 970 1222.

Sandra Forsyth, 26 August 2014

Body's 'safety procedure' could explain autoimmune diseaseSeptember 5, 2013 Monash University:

Researchers have found an important safety mechanism in the immune system that may malfunction in people with autoimmune diseases, such as Multiple Sclerosis, potentially paving the way for innovative treatments.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/09/130905134018.htm

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Home-Based Support Options

Care Coordination Centre – provided by Nurse Maude - coordinates community based health services providing:

Community allied health services (e.g. physiotherapy, occupational therapy, social work etc) Community rehabilitation services District Nursing services Home based care and support packages i.e. personal care and cleaning. Access to free handrails, appropriate seating etc. Access to Meals on Wheels which delivers one hot meal on weekdays at a cost of approximately $8-

$10. WINZ advises this is recoverable (disability allowance - change of circumstances form) for those unable to cook for themselves - check direct with the WINZ case manager.

People under 65 with a lifelong disability requiring support or rehabilitation are eligible. Referral via GP, followed by assessment and discussion at home regarding needs. A ‘safety’ check is carried out to ensure there are no hazards or barriers to mobility e.g. mats, slippery surfaces in bathroom.

Contact Details:

Capital Coast DHB District: 0800 28 22 00 or www.careco.org.nz

Hutt Valley DHB District: 04 566 2226 - 0800 662 225 www.nursemaude.org.nz

NB it may be ME/CFS is not a sufficient basis for eligibility and it would be prudent to discuss your eligibility with your GP. Recently one of our members accessed the service via a diagnosis of Dysautonomia.

Sandra Forsyth, Waikanae, 27 August 2014

Unnerving Findings: Studies Opening New Directions for Fibromyalgia

Cort Johnson September 5, 2014:

Scientific American recently published an overview on Fibromyalgia called “An Unnerving Enigma” suggesting that new clues may crack what’s going on in this mysterious, difficult to treat disorder and lead to new treatments. This article gives us a good platform to look at where the science of Fibromyalgia is now.

Read more: Unnerving Findings: Studies Opening New Directions for Fibromyalgia http://www.cortjohnson.org/blog/2014/09/05/unnerving-findings-studies-open-new-directions-fibromyalgia/

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Tired Tarts and Munted MenDear Tired Tarts and Munted Men

How I look forward to seeing you

On the third Wednesday of every month

As up the stairs at Waimea we trudge

Hunched with elbows on the table sharing

A month’s worth of ups and downs and helpful stuff

How are you we ask

To be answered by a 'oh you know'

We laugh in our knowingness

Half completed sentences and lost trains of thought

Yes we are a pretty munted bunch

Snatched from our former lives and rendered thus

Dear Tired Tarts and Munted Men

Sanity savers, neutral ears, tired yet tirelessly giving

See you same time next month

As up the stairs at Waimea we trudge

Kapiti's Tired Tarts and Munted Men

Sandra Forsyth, Waikanae 21 May 2014

Dedicated with aroha to the members of the Kapiti Group of WellMe (Wellington Region ME/CFS Support Group Inc) which meets 11am the third Wednesday of every month at Waimea, Waimea Street, Waikanae Beach

Living With an Invisible Illness by Wendy Matthews

‘Reader Report’ on ‘Stuff’ by Wendy Matthews of ANZMES

http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff-nation/assignments/living-with-an-invisible-illness/10387934/A-little-understanding-can-go-a-long-way

Why Can’t We Figure Out Chronic Fatigue Syndrome?

Reader Report by Julie Rehmeyer

http://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/well-good/teach-me/10610570/Why-can-t-we-figure-out-chronic-fatigue-syndrome

More links to online media here: http://www.anzmes.org.nz/media-links/

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More On ‘The Last Best Cure’

THE LAST BEST CURE – My Quest to Awaken the Healing Parts of My Brain and Get Back My Body, My Joy, and My Life

At our September Support Group meeting in Wellington, Elinor Curtain, gave a synopsis of The Last Best Cure by Donna Jackson Nakazawa, introduced in our May 2014 newsletter.

In the Last Best Cure, Nakazawa explores Psychoneuroimmunology (PNI); the study of the potent interaction between our psychological state of mind and our cellular and immune function, to find a solution to her chronic illnesses.

Many in western cultures have difficulty sending kindness to ourselves because we carry a deep sense of unworthiness or self-dislike. We internalise self criticism.

Our brain is like Velcro for negative events and Teflon for positive ones. As we engage in more and more habitual thoughts, rehearsing particular losses or painful memories; making assumptions that the world and other people are out to get us; we cause groups of neurons to fire together, activating our Sympathetic Nervous System (SNS), the stress system, commonly known as the flight and flight response. The SNS fires away inflammatory chemicals and cytokines run rampant through our brains, organs and cells. These firings time after time can cause deep neurological grooves, leaving a lasting imprint influencing us to keep on having negative thought patterns in our brains. This process is so subtle we do not see this disintegration of ourselves happening from the inside out. Negativity becomes our default setting: “the joy thief”. Chronic inflammatory health problems develop; including high blood pressure and heart disease, stroke, diabetes, depression, autoimmune disease, asthma, and bowel issues.

Furthermore, Nakazawa came across a study on Adverse Childhood Experience (ACE) by the Kaiser Permanente Medical Care Program in San Diego, published in 2010, showing that childhood trauma has a profound impact on peoples’ adult health. Facing emotionally difficult circumstances in childhood, for example, increases your chance of having ME/CFS as an adult, six-fold.

But, the brain can change. We can intervene and choose whether to lay down negative tracks or positive ones. States of joy and enjoyment not only create healthier neural circuitry patterns but they change the brain and our mind habits. “The antidote for anger is kindness”.

This requires a lot of hard work but it can be done through mindfulness (anchoring the self in the here and now). Mindful breathing can calm the brain down, restoring the Parasympathetic Nervous System (PNS) allowing our body, brain and mind enter a state of rest, relaxation, tranquillity and contentment.

When feeling under stress; stop your internal dialogue and name the feeling: eg, pain, fatigue. If you don’t like what you find, that’s OK. Apply some kindness. What else do you feel: eg, self blame, anger, sadness? If you get lost in negative emotion, take a deep breath from the abdomen and up through the chest. Then exhale with a long aaah sigh. Repeat for up to ten breaths. Research shows that if we stay focused on the breath for twelve seconds, the brain begins to enter a state of concentration. We build up tracts in our brain that helps us return to that state of concentration more easily next time.

If you would like to borrow “The Last Best Cure” from our membership library, please contact our Community Support Coordinator, Claire Laurenson either by email/phone or speak to her at one of our support group meetings.

http://donnajacksonnakazawa.com/last-best-cure/ http://wypr.org/post/last-best-cure (radio interview with the author)http://www.thriveshow.org/ (A Conversation About Living With Chronic Illness)

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Affordable Acupuncture via Moana Cleverly

Community acupuncture from an acupuncture training school. The trainee practitioners are supervised by experienced practitioners.

Level 10, Willbank House

57 Willis St, Wgtn CBD.

Every Wednesday 10am - 2pm.

Cost Koha ($5 - $10)

You don't make an appointment, you just turn up and wait your turn.

www. acupuncture .ac.nz/index.php/clinics/ community -clinic

WELLINGTON BENEFITS RIGHTS SERVICE: For free advice and advocacy

Community House, Level 2 / 84 Willis Street, Wellington City, PO Box 9491, Te Aro

P 04 210 2012 M 021 292 7636 E: benefitrights@gmail.com

Links:http://wellmecfs.wordpress.com/

https://www.facebook.com/WellingtonRegionMECFSSupportGroup

http://anzmes.org.nz

https://groups.google.com/forum/?fromgroups#!forum/kiwicfsme

http://phoenixrising.me/

http://www.cortjohnson.org/

http://www.hhhummingbirds.com/

http://sacfs.asn.au/news/

http://ozme.weebly.com/

http://forums.prohealth.com/forums/index.php

http://www.msd.govt.nz/what-we-can-do/disability-services/index.html

http://www.iacfsme.org/EducationalServices/tabid/119/Default.aspx

http://www.jimmyboswell.com/index.html The Gluten Free Chef (NZ site)

http://www.pinterest.com/tomkindlon/mecfs-awareness-videos/

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Contact List

Community Support Coordinator: Claire Laurenson 0800 632 847 support@wellme.org.nz

General Enquiries: information@wellme.org.nz

Committee Members:

Chair Catherine Kunz-Entwistle (04) 232-4033 cke.design@xtra.co.nz

Vice Chair Sandra Forsyth (04) 293-5887 forsythsandra@hotmail.com

Treasurer/Secretary Dick Fernyhough fernyhough@xtra.co.nz

Committee Member Shirley Fernyhough (04) 235-5101

Committee Member Jay Vivian axtis7@yahoo.co.uk

Committee Member Eileen Brodigan ebrodigan@hotmail.com

Committee Member Anita Maitland anita.maitland@actrix.co.nz

Committee Member Dominique Christian frenchie_dominique@paradise.net.nz

Committee Member Glender McArthur glenarthurnz@yahoo.co.nz

Wellington Telephone Tree Coordinator Rosanne Dawson (04) 386-1830

This is your newsletter and your suggestions and contributions are most welcome. Please send submissions/contributions to: E Jay at axtis7@yahoo.co.uk or information@wellme.co.nz

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SUBSCRIPTIONS

Annual membership subscriptions for 2014/2015 are now due:

Membership Fees: $20 waged / $15 unwaged / $25 family.

Cheque Please make out cheques to the Wellington Region ME/CFS Support Group Inc. And post or hand in at support group meetings, accompanied by this form.

Direct Deposit Please transfer your total payment using your Surname and subs and/or donation as references to:

Account Name: Wellington Region ME/CFS Support Group IncBank Account: 03-0521-0243307-00Please record the date of transaction here: ______________________________

Cash Payment Can be made in person at support group meetings accompanied by this form.

or Mail to: PO Box 13-029,Johnsonville,Wellington 6440 including:

Name: _______________________________________________________________

Address:______________________________________________________________

Phone number(s): ____________________ or _____________________________

Email address: ____________________________________________________

Newsletter preference: Posted emailed

Enclosed is my subscription payment of $_________________

Method of Payment: Cash Cheque No Internet Banking Deposit

I would like to make a donation of $5 $10 other $ _______________

I would like to make a regular monthly donation of $5 $10 other $ _________

Please contact me about making a bequest

Please contact me as I would like to volunteer my services to help by:

o Offering a ride to members living in my local area to support group meetings

o Delivering donated food to members in my local area.

o Offering my time and skills to help the Committee

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The committee would like to thank the following sponsors who help us provide our services:

DISCLAIMER

This newsletter is a great way of sharing information and ideas about ME/CFS with members. All articles and opinions are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of the Wellington ME/CFS Support Group committee. Any advice, either explicit or implied, is not intended to replace qualified medical advice and the committee does not accept any responsibility for any treatments undertaken by readers. Please seek professional advice before making any changes to your treatment.

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