Christmas Campaign Week #3

We're opening doors 11-17

We hope you’ve enjoyed following the advent calendar and seeing the support for people with ME and Long Covid so far!

In this third advent calendar update, we’re happy to share the next seven #ThereForME supporters, along with their Christmas messages behind doors 11-17.

#ThereForME Advent Calendar 2024 on December 17th

December 11th

Professor Chris Ponting is #ThereForME! Chris leads DecodeME, the world’s largest ME genetic study. His message:

“My Christmas wish for people with ME and Long Covid is: Many scientific breakthroughs – a ‘True Dawn’ bringing us much closer to effective therapies. Chris xx”

Chris recently wrote a powerful piece in The Conversation about the need for research and treatments for people with ME.

December 12th

Paul Waugh MP is #ThereForME! Paul is a former a journalist who spent years covering Westminster and is Rochdale’s new Labour MP. His message:

This Christmas, I’m hoping for an NHS that is really there for people with ME and Long Covid. Let’s deliver on NICE guidelines & on much more research too.

Paul recently shared his correspondence with Health Minister Andrew Gwynne on social media, which included a commitment to publish the results this month from the ME/CFS delivery plan public consultation (which was carried out in 2023).

December 13th

We’ve got the Rest is Politics set! It’s Alistair Campbell, former political commentator and strategist turned podcaster. His message:

Thank you to all with Long Covid & their families & doctors & nurses involved in treating Long Covid who have written to us at The Rest is Politics. I must admit I had no idea of the scale of the problem until we discussed it on the podcast. Please keep up the pressure on government, NHS, media and others. Lots of people are there for you. #ThereforME!! Best Wishes. Happy Christmas, Alastair Campbell

In case you missed it when we shared Rory's card, you can listen to Rory and Alistair covering Long Covid on their podcast.

December 14th

It’s Helen Morgan MP! Helen is the Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Health and Social Care. Her message:

My Christmas wish for people with ME and Long Covid is that they get the recognition, road-mapping and resources they need for a better future.

Helen spoke in the World ME Day Westminster Hall debate earlier this year, highlighting how the majority of NHS Trusts are not following the 2021 NICE Guideline for ME.

December 15th

Ruth Liptrot is a reporter for Channel 5 News. Ruth has covered Long Covid and her own experiences of the condition. Her message:

My wish for patients with Long Covid and ME is that they are believed and then helped accordingly. Wishing you all better and sending love, xxx

You can listen to Ruth’s 'Living with Long Covid' podcast, co-hosted with Dan Walker here.

December 16th

Stuart Murdoch! Frontman of Belle and Sebastian. Stuart has been a powerful voice for ME, writing about his own experience with the illness. His message:

Wishing you all the joy and peace of the season. I hope you feel LISTENED TO. I hope you feel CARED FOR. I’m praying for a BREAKTHROUGH. It’ll come, one day. Until then… YOU’RE THE BEST! You know you are.

Earlier this year Stuart published an autobiographical novel, Nobody's Empire, drawing on his experiences of ME, which you can read about here.

December 17th

It’s #ThereForME HQ! Our message:

Thank you for all the support this year – it means the world to us! We’re thinking of you this Christmas. We’ll keep fighting for you in 2025. Lots of love. Karen, Emma, Oonagh

December 18th

Follow our #ThereForME socials to find out at 9am tomorrow. You can find us on Instagram, Twitter/X, Bluesky and Facebook.

Otherwise, you’ll have to wait until next week!