ME/CFS Australia (SA) Inc: President's Annual Report (November 24, 2001)

	Email the Society
	Donations

ME/CFS AUSTRALIA (SA) INC

Registered Charity 698

Mailing address:
GPO Box 383,
Adelaide,
South Australia 5001

Office:
266 Port Road,
Hindmarsh,
South Australia 5007
Ph: (08) 8346 3237
('834 MECFS')

Office Hours:
Wednesdays, 10am-3pm

Support Line:
(Mondays and Thursdays,
10am-3pm)
Ph: (08) 8346 3237

SA country callers:
Ph: 1300 128 339
(local call)

FIBROMYALGIA HELP:
Contact
Fibromyalgia SA
at the
Arthritis Foundation of SA
118 Richmond Road,
Marleston 5033
Ph: (08) 8379 5711

ME/CFS Australia (SA) Inc supports the needs of sufferers of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and related illnesses. We do this by providing services and information to members.

Donate online

Information and Support 2004 is an online appeal that aims to improve our Information and Support Line.

ME/CFS Australia (SA) Inc aims to keep members informed of the various research projects, diets, medications, therapies etc. All communication, both verbal and written, is merely to disseminate information and not to make recommendations or directives.

Unless otherwise stated, the views expressed on this Web site are not necessarily the official views of the Society or its Committee and are not simply an endorsement of products or services.

Introduction

I want to start by saying I am very proud of all we have achieved this year despite the continual struggle we face for health and recognition.

As I’ll explain more fully later this Management Committee inherited a very difficult situation. I need to make it clear that the Society almost folded in the last 2 years – for lack of human resources. For the second year in a row we struggled to achieve a quorum at the AGM and had to hold meetings in February. When you have to start asking for nominations from the floor ‘on the day’ you are really struggling – not just numbers wise but, more importantly, in organisational continuity. I think it is important that we, the members, realise this before making assessments of the Management Committee.

There is much positive to report – we have made inroads into several areas, and achieved a lot this year.

•

Feb 18 – Public meeting with Dorothy Morris speaking.

•

Feb 24 – Management Committee elected.

•

May 11 – GP Seminar held at the Chiffley Hotel, with Hugh Dunstan as the speaker, 26 GPs attended.

•

May 12 – Public Seminar with Hugh Dunstan as the speaker “Advances in Metabolic Research” at Urrbrae Education Centre. Roughly 200 in attendance.

•

July 21 – Members Meeting: Judy Lovett spoke on the National ME/CFS Association / and the Management Committee presented a report on the Royal Australasian College of Practitioners working party Draft Guidelines.

•

July – Response to Royal Australasian College of Physicians sent.

•

Aug 25 – Public Medical Seminar at the University of South Australia. Speakers were Dr Peter Del Fante, Dr Rey Casse, and Dr Richard Burnett. 80 in attendance.

•

Sept 22 – GP Seminar. Co-organised with Fibromyalgia SA and the Adelaide Western Division of General Practice. 30 attended.

•

Advocacy for National Alison Hunter Memorial Foundation Conference. Letters to Federal and State politicians, and to businesses.

•

Advocacy for important issues such as chemical sensitivity

•

Improved liaison with other organisations – particularly Fibromyalgia SA and the Allergy and Chemical Sensitivity Association.

•

Development of an Education Support Group which has made some inroads into a number of issues dealing with secondary schooling.

In July, we moved to a reasonable sized office and are on the way to setting it up well. We are in the process of setting up systems and structures that will provide long term benefit to the organisation. Our realistic goal is to have it up and running well by Awareness Week 2002.

We have been working on a lot of things which will take fruition next year. A few of us have attended the Chronic Disease Self-Management Program at the Arthritis Foundation. We plan to train leaders (we have already done one person) and trial the course for ourselves next year. (http://www.stanford.edu/group/perc/cdsmp.html)

It is also good to note that Bill Daniels has again been asked to run a WEA course on Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. Whilst this is not an ‘official’ Society event it is good publicity for the condition.

So we have had a productive year, and as I said can be proud of it.

Along the way we’ve had assistance from a few people. I’d like to extend thankyous: IITAB & SA Training Revelation who donated their old phone system to us; Electrolux for a discount on a refrigerator; and Bank SA for a $1000 donation.

President’s Annual Report

AGM, November 24, 2001

Introduction