MYALGIC encephalomyelitis is a chronic disability illness of the immune and central nervous system. The condition frequently occurs as a sequel to viral infections, such as glandular fever.

It is characterised by extreme fatigue, general malaise, aches and pains throughout the body, drowsiness, sickness and many more symptoms too numerous to mention.

There is now a conservative estimate of 400,000 sufferers in this country alone. It has taken this government and previous governments years for them to set up a chief medical officer's working party for clinical support for sufferers, of which the findings will be published next year.

Why is this taking so long? ME and CFS (chronic fatigue syndrome) have been around for many years and affected thousands of people, both young and old, for they have no discrimination.

Why has there not been enough research in Britain compared to other countries, such as Australia.

These and many more questions needs to be answered, not tomorrow, but now before ME becomes the plague of the 21st century. I have written a poem looking through my eyes and thoughts of a sufferer, and it's called My Story.

'As I rest my head I think of the things that need be said,

Times remembered but times forgot Myalgic En-whatever it is what I've got.

I haven't the energy to tie my shoes, to brush my teeth or even chew,

Extreme fatigue in every way each and every single day.

I caught a virus that I could not fight, because my antibodies had taken flight,

So many things I once could do, run and skip just like you.

But now my body will not let me pursue, all the things I once could do.

I have fought thought thick and thin and as sure as hell will not give in,

Until once more my body can fight then chronic fatigue will vanish from sight.