May 12th 2011 - what a success!

May 12th 2011 at Queen’s Park was an important breakthrough for the ME, FM and MCS communities. We’d like to thank all those that have organized awareness efforts in previous years because we are finally getting the attention of the MPPs!

The current approach is working. We need to keep this momentum going, expand and continue to have:

  • Individuals use their power as constituent, citizen and voter to ask for MPP support
  • Coordinated awareness events such as the May 12th activities at Queens Park.
  • Capable, prepared and willing communicators representing us
  • Our message delivered from a unified front with community organizations and individuals expressing support for one another

The MPPs showed very encouraging levels of support by:

  • All wearing the May 12th tri-colour ribbons (contact [email protected] if you’d like some ribbons)
  • 6 MPPS spoke at the podium outside (dramatic increase from last year)
  • Making statements inside the legislature recognizing May 12th as ME, FM and MCS awareness day
  • Connecting with individual constituents and pledging various forms of support for our efforts (at least 23 MPPs have been in contact with their constituents – let us know if your MPP supports you!)

We are asking MPPs:

  • To support a multi-step recommendation recently put before the Honourable Deb Matthews to fund and oversee expanded services at the EHC at Women's College Hospital.
  • For opportunities to meet with decision makers and “have MPPs work with citizens to develop effective policies” (as stated by an MPP in front of QP on May 12th.)
  • For immediate assistance in resolving neglected levels of treatment, research, education and support
  • To acknowledge the 440,000 constituents in Ontario who have an illness that has been compared in severity to late-stage renal failure or to late-stage AIDS, yet have received almost no real treatment for far too long.

If you have May 12th related pictures (from Queen’s Park or elsewhere!) or other material you can contribute to the collection, please send them to [email protected]

Thank you to all those present at Queen’s Park on May 12th. There is power in numbers. Our presence could not be denied that day and we turned more heads than I think even we realize.

Thank you to Jeanne, Heli, May 12th volunteers and all who contributed to making this day a success.

Thank you to our speakers, Dr. Alison Bested, Dr. Lynn Marshall, Hugh Scher and Jeanne Samonas for planting seeds of hope and strength within us and inspiring our journey to come.

A special thank you to our corporate sponsors!

 

May 12, 2010

Thank You to Everyone Who Participated in Our April 3rd Photo Shoot and our May 12th Event at Queen's Park

Our Photo Shoot on April 3rd Was A Huge Success!

Our thanks to the 100 people who came to the Scarborough Civic Centre on April 3rd to help us launch our Awareness Campaign. We were overwhelmed by your support. We were able to take some great pictures which will help our May 12th Campaign and the MEAO's efforts year-round.

May 12th at Queen's Park was a Great Time and it's Just the Beginning!

Although it was cold and damp, 170 of you came out and supported your cause, raising awareness for ME/CFS, FM and MCS

The Front Lawn at Queen’s Park Was a Lawn of Blue

The Speakers were great!

Click Below to the audiotapes of the speeches at Queen’s Park

We’ve also included a few photos of the day and we’ll add more in the weeks ahead.

Our Thanks to all the MPPs who wore our ribbons inside the legislature.

Special thank you to MPPs, Kathleen Wynne and Joe Dickson, who made the introduction of our groups and a statement on our behalf in the House.

We also thank MPPs Linda Jefferies, John O’Toole and Michael Prue who came out to visit us on the lawn.

Let’s keep the momentum going. Ideas are welcome, but to carry on with your ideas we need volunteers. Just contact the MEAO to volunteer.

Thank you - the May 12th Awareness Committee

Listen to Audiotapes of our Speeches at the Rally and inside the Queen's Park Media Room

We Received Some Great Press

The MEAO reached out to more than three dozen media outlets and we've included below an article from The Toronto Star and a CanWest article that appeared in their newspapers across the country.

Articles

Here's a Small Selection of Photos from May 12th … more to follow in the weeks ahead