Ask Yourself. What would you be doing if they had cancer?

I find the way that friends and family support people with #chronicillness particularly those like MECFS and fibromyalgia is a strong indicator of the deep ableism entrenched in our society.

We are deeply uncomfortable with illness journeys that don't take the form of recovery or terminal illness. This manifests as minimizing these illnesses and hiding them as private family secrets.

So please, if you have a friend or family member with chronic illness ask yourself what you would be doing if they had a "socially acceptable" illness like cancer. Would you be:

-Organizing fundraisers

-Helping them get meal deliveries

-Raising awareness of their condition

-Talking about it with friends and coworkers

-Encouraging them to make the most of their now limited life (Organizing family visits, or relaxing trips)

-Supporting them in receiving medical care

-Reaching out to their partners to make sure they have helped

-Learning about new medical research in their disease

Now ask yourself what about their current condition doesn't warrant that response? Probably nothing.

Severe ME is as disabling as chemotherapy. Behcet's disease and others use chemotherapy directly as treatment. These patients require the same assistance and support. These diseases require even more research and many lack even basic treatments. So please, don't let your internalized biases change how you treat loved ones in need.