#MillionsMissing and FibroFest 2016 in Central Massachusetts

May 25, 2016 is a global day of protest to observe the #MillionsMissing campaign.  This is a project to bring awareness to the millions of fibromyalgia (also known as "ME" or myalgic encphalomyelitis) and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome patients who are missing out on work, school, social activities and family fun due to the debilitating symptoms of these life-altering syndromes.  Millions of dollars are missing from research and clinical education funding that these syndromes should be benefitting from; AND millions of physicians are missing out on proper training in order to diagnose and manage these invisible and perplexing illnesses.

Millions are protesting virtually online; and locally the Massachusetts CFIDS/ME & FM Association is gathering at the JFK Federal Building in Boston at noon on May 25th for a peaceful protest/awareness event.  A petition will be available, and signatures are going to be collected there.  Informational handouts will also be available.

Finally, the organization is also meeting, at a separate time, with senior officials from the Boston branch of Health & Human Services to deliver our message and ask for the H&HS's support.

On July 16th (rain date of July 17th), I and local musician Michael Greene have scheduled a music festival to bring awareness to Fibromyalgia in North Brookfield, Mass.  We are calling this event FibroFest.  Some songs will be played in honor of my late "husband" who did not suffer from fibromyalgia, but who was a major influence in the local music scene in Worcester and North Brookfield.  His birthday would have been July 7th, so we are doing some tributes to him in combination with the Fibromyalgia awareness, since most of the musicians knew him.

A $5 donation will be welcome upon entry to the event, and all proceeds will go to the Massachusetts CFIDS/ME & FM Association.

If you have crafts, or a business you'd like to feature at the event, it's a $10 donation to set up your table.  Contact me at k2k9dogs@gmail.com and I will put you in touch with coordinator Mike Greene.

We are also looking for volunteers to help with set-up, clean-up, parking and more.

Information on FibroFest is here in this infographic:



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