After being diagnosed with ME, Joan McParland helped establish the first ever ME clinic in Northern Ireland.
Joan from Bessbrook tells her story.
“I was very fit and active until I woke up one morning with flu-like symptoms – the start of my long ME journey.
My natural instinct was to push on but after three attempts to go back to work, I ended up bed-bound for the next seven years.
During this time, I promised that, if I ever improved enough, I would campaign to address the lack of support available for ME patients who were desperate for help.
Alongside a group of others, we set up a committee and applied for charity status. In 2013, the chair of our charity attended a meeting with the Patient and Client Council and, from this, a focus group was set up for ME and Fibromyalgia – the first meetings in NI for these diseases.
We were told it would take three years to see change but it took us five. Even though there were ups and downs, in 2018, a clinic lead was announced for ME to provide a space for sufferers to get dedicated help.
I am so proud of this achievement and I would encourage everyone to make change together.”
