Patient & Community Voices at IACFS/ME’s 15th Medical and Scientific Conference

On July 30th, Cathy Kline and Gloria Gray presented at the International Association for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome / Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (IACFS/ME) virtual conference hosted by Stoneybrook University in New York. Conference attendees included clinicians, researchers, educators, as well as people affected by ME/CFS and their supporters.

125 people from across the globe attended the presentation about the outcomes of our Patient & Community Voices workshop for students on three poorly understood chronic conditions – Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME), Fibromyalgia (FM), and Lyme disease.

Gloria, a member of the Community Advisory Committee at the Complex Chronic Disease Program at the BC Women’s Hospital in Vancouver and the President of the Myalgic Encephalomyelitis Victoria Association (MEVA), proposed the idea of presenting at the conference to share the benefits and inspire others to involve patients in teaching and research.

“I wholeheartedly encourage any university, college, hospital, and healthcare organizations to consider offering their students the opportunity to learn first hand from those with lived experiences. Patient partners are the future and they will advance the ME cause,” says Gloria.

The workshop is a partnership with ME Victoria Association, MEFM Society of BC, National MEFM Action Network, and BC Lyme Association and is highly rated by students.

The next workshop for UBC students is November 30th. Register now!