International ME Colloquiums and Conferences

the conference was extremely well attended - in terms of feedback it was re-assuring to hear that the academics are making clearer connections and encouraging the clinicians to think about the implications of these variables when treating patients.

SIIMEC4 clinician delegate

As voiced by many on the day, it seems a shame that the desperately needed tests and measures to confirm possible onset are not readily available and possibly the reason why there still remains a very" them and us" culture in the UK. The breaks and the opportunity to discuss patients individual experiences was also invaluable- I even came away with details of tried and tested interventions, which I will definitely pass on to my patients.

SIIMEC4 clinician delegate

Just wanted to congratulate you on an excellent conference last week. It was great to see so many of the leading researchers into ME all in one room, and all pulling in the same direction.

- Delegate

We would like to convey our sincerest gratitude to Invest in ME for organising such a fantastic conference. Without people like you, we and many, many others would be lost. Thank you for caring and for wanting to make a difference in the lives of suffering people. You all deserve a medal!.

JIIMEC3 delegate

Fantastic! The best ME conference I have been to and thanks to Invest in ME for making the price so realistic for pwme. I learned so much from this day. Keep up the good work.

HIIMEC3 delegate

To all at IiME Thank you so much for another fantastic conference. It was a joy and a relief to be able to listen to people who are starting to understand the biomedical complexities of this condition. Some extremely interesting speakers this year. We have to keep pushing and pushing. It goes without saying that your hard work is greatly appreciated.

RIIMEC3 delegate

Dr. Gibson spoke openly with regards to the inquiry into M.E. I hope that his report will reflect the true biomedical nature of M.E. Finally, may I say “Thank you” to the team members who were in charge of ordering, packaging and posting the DVD parcels. This must have been a mammoth task in itself!.

DoctorIIMEC1 delegate

Having watched the DVD I am so glad that there are still medical, charity and research professionals who are genuinely committed to helping ill patients. It is so refreshing to learn that doctors such as Bruce Carruthers and Byron Hyde still exist in our modern “evidence based” medical world. These doctors believe in listening to their patients and investigating their symptoms. They do not write patients off.

PatientIIMEC1 participant

Thank goodness for researchers such as Professor Hooper, Professor Puri and Dr. Kerr who have had the strength of character to persevere and continue to research M.E, an illness which has been denigrated by so many other researchers.

PatientIIMEC1 participant

Dear IiME, Thank you all for the hard work that went into making the ME Conference 2006 such a success. It was a huge undertaking and I am just so pleased that it was a success. I have just finished watching the conference on DVD for the second time and it was just like being part of the audience. The DVD recording equally professional.

PatientIIMEC1 participant

The ME experts were excellent and able to speak to their audience in an informative and enjoyable manner. What struck me most about all the speakers was their genuine commitment to their patients, research or charity work. Although all working in slightly different areas, they all share one common bond…..working towards finding the cause and cure for M.E.

PatientIIMEC1 participant

I watched the ME Conference DVD at the weekend. I have to confess that I cried all through the first DVD. Living with ME, you get so used to putting up with ignorance and misunderstanding, and so to hear a group of people gathered together in one room talking about ME sensibly, was just totally overwhelming. I can't thank you and everybody else enough for organising this event and for all the other work that you do.

ABIIMEC1 delegate

Thank you for again making this conference available for ordinary patients at such a reasonable price. The conference was extraordinary and brought hope to me and my family. Thank you for all you are doing.

- Delegate

Fantastic conference, many thanks for your hard work. I thought it was fantastic, massively informative, encouraging, inspiring, necessary. It was very powerful hearing so much material from the doctors, researchers and speakers themselves, very, very impressive.

- Delegate

I enjoyed it all - especially being given ideas that may be able to use in practice and to be given ideas for where to look for future research to keep updated in CFS/ME practice. I have been able to gain a better understanding of CFS/ME and diagnostic criteria and changes to it. It is also very useful to be aware of research that is going on and how practices differ in UK to USA.

- From Conference feedback form (from NHS professional)

Thank you for a wonderfully organized conference! The yearly IiME conferences have become the most important events in Europe, with the best speakers and with focus on subjects that really matters in the battle that we are all fighting.

- Delegate

Thank you for again making this conference available for ordinary patients at such a reasonable price. The conference was extraordinary and brought hope to me and my family. Thank you for all you are doing.

- Delegate

Fantastic conference, many thanks for your hard work. I thought it was fantastic, massively informative, encouraging, inspiring, necessary. It was very powerful hearing so much material from the doctors, researchers and speakers themselves, very, very impressive.

- Delegate

Thank you for a wonderfully organized conference! The yearly IiME conferences have become the most important events in Europe, with the best speakers and with focus on subjects that really matters in the battle that we are all fighting.

- Delegate

The diverse background of speakers pulling together novel research reflecting similar pathological phenotypes in chronic fatigue with numerous underlying genotypes and infections

- Delegate

It was a professional and superbly run Conference.

- Delegate

This really was the best conference yet ---- WELL DONE indeed to you. Every aspect of the conference works so well and the conference is beginning to get a family feel about it giving some of us the one and only chance each year to meet up.

- Delegate

Opened new lines for looking at literature references, in order to enhance research on CFS/ME.

- Delegate

Congratulations on holding such an excellent conference on ME/CFS.
This was the first time I actually attended such a conference. I was very impressed.

- Doctor

It is encouraging to see how much research is taking place and how many great medical professionals are making towards diagnosis and more recognition. Having relatives with ME feels much like a solitary experience and it is good to come to an event where there are people who are experiencing the same thing.
Very good organisation of the event, wide variety of speakers and materials.

- Delegate

You are doing incredible work. The whole event was absolutely brilliant.

- Delegate

You are certainly running things efficiently and well and are to be congratulated on arranging and managing this excellent conference!

- Delegate

An amazing achievement to produce all of these presentations of the conference. I found it so informative and you have performed an incredible task in doing all of this.

PatientIIMEC1 delegate

I thoroughly enjoyed the conference and learnt a great deal, as well as brushing up my rather rusty immunology! I thought that the standard of the presentations was extremely high across the board, and covered a band of relevant and applicable topics; I shall certainly be attending next year’s conference if at all possible.

PatientIIMEC1 participant

The content is rivetting..especially being a physio/ mum of ME child, regarding the evidence behind exercise.

Professional/CarerIIMEC1 participant

Thank you so much for the wonderful Conference last Friday. I came away feeling more positive about the future for people with ME (my two children aged 17 and 13 have been diagnosed with it) than I have since they became ill.

GillIIMEC1 delegate

I attended the conference last Friday and had a great time – I enjoyed the event a great deal and felt that it was a huge success – you should be very pleased.' 'Many thanks for your help and many congratulations again on an excellent event.

DaveIIMEC1 delegate

The conference was so fantastic. I now feel fully armed to battle in ignorance about this disease in Denmark. How can any doctor look at the facts and doubt it is a physical disease. And yet...there was a least one doctor there who still was a Wessley-schooler. On the second day, I sat next to this man and when I told him I had ME/CFS he told me to try deep breathing techniques and asked me if I was a person who had a lot of self-doubt...... so...you can lead a fool to facts, but you can't make them think! Thanks again for all the effort that went into this conference.

RIIMEC2 delegate

I found the conference to be quite a revelation. I had no idea how bad the political situation is with ME. It has galvanised me into action, with writing to my MP and a comprehensive and vigorous defence of Dr Myhill. And I'm going to the Edinburgh Conference too. Thank you so much for the enormous undertaking you have embarked on. I shall be doing all I can to support you all.

NIIMEC2 delegate

I was delighted to see in attendance also my consultant and two of his staff which I think was vital for him to gain a better understanding about severe ME. I was especially pleased of the video that was shown really showing severe ME as this I think gave a very moving account of what it was to be in that position and would of had a huge impact on those watching it. Once again thanks for an exciting conference with excellent speakers. I shall look forward to the DVD.

TIIMEC4 delegate

Thank you SO MUCH for all your great work. And we are so glad you are doing the conference DVD's again this year, last years were a great resource of info and encouraging. I've just downloaded your first journal and will read it, slowly!!, with great interest. Will also tell others of the journal and the conference DVD's in the hope that they will buy them too.

SIIMEC2 delegate

I thought it was a great conference. I met many new people, but I also missed seeing many of those involved in the new CFS/ME services.

NIIMEC2 delegate

Many thanks for the wonderful conference. It was a great atmosphere and very uplifting to know of the wonderful work and people involved in helping us ME Sufferers. Back you all the way, and hope you will all recover soon from the tremendous effort you put in on our behalf and those of the researchers. It was a conference of excellence and it honoured us as well as raising us up!

JIIMEC2 delegate

Congratulations on your second successful ME/CFS Conference. I am so pleased that there will be a DVD of the conference. I am looking forward to watching it and finding out about the latest scientific research and facts on ME. I have just downloaded the first IiME Journal. It is very informative and professionally presented. I would like to say, "Thank you IiME," for all your hard work.

CIIMEC2 delegate

Dear Invest in ME Just wanted to congratulate you on an excellent conference last week. It was great to see so many of the leading researchers into ME all in one room, and all pulling in the same direction. So thank you for all your efforts in making the conference happen, it's very much appreciated.

CIIMEC2 delegate

Thank you so much to make that big event come true. I have a slight idea how much you worked to get the conference to such a success, to organise everything so perfectly and to bring together so many scientists and practitioners to tell us about their work and their progress in research and treatment.

RIIMEC2 delegate

I'm sure this event will bring us together more closely, and only as an international community we will be strong enough to change things for the better. So I'm sure that not only those who were so lucky to attend the conference are very grateful to you but all the hundreds of patients who were not able to come but will profit from its results.

RIIMEC2 delegate

Those were two great days full of extraordinary lectures, positive information and so many important contacts! I profited so much, I learned so much, I've met so many people I haven't met before - including you -, all this was so impressive. It will take me some weeks to process all the information I got which I will pass it on to the German spoken CFS/ME community. Thank you from Germany

RIIMEC2 delegate

Congratulations to everyone involved for a very successful Conference last week. Both days were interesting, fascinating, useful, well run and uplifting.....Thank you very very very much to everyone for all the work you are doing for people with M.E.

PIIMEC2 delegate

Just saw on your website that you did get a DVD done in the end - my massive thanks to everyone, there's a whole load of people out there who appreciate the work you're doing!

MIIMEC2 delegate

"Thank you to the organisers and speakers for a very interesting and stimulating meeting."

BIIMEC2 delegate

"Just wanted to say thanks for organising a conference with such impressive speakers & at such reasonable cost. As a humble parent, most conferences are completely out of my price range, so was really delighted to be able to attend. I picked up lots of info & have realised that I need to do loads more h/w to really be on top of all the stuff that’s been discovered since my daughter first became ill – 10 yrs ago."

HIIMEC2 delegate

"Congratulations on the Conference, it was very well organised with some excellent speakers. I was very pleased to see a number of our local CFS team present at the conference

AIIMEC2 delegate

"I am interested in the DVD & thank you all again for a great conference"

PIIMEC2 delegate

I enjoyed participating enormously and think the whole conference was a great success. Well done!

Dr NIIMEC2 delegate

"You are certainly running things efficiently and well and are to be congratulated on arranging and managing this second excellent conference! I am only just recovering from the efforts of attending the 2 day event and was about to send you a note of thanks for all your efforts and succeeding in facilitating a truly remarkable conference. It was great to see so many familiar faces, both amongst the audience and the presenters, and as you rightly say, the information conveyed was amazing and exciting. H aving said that - so much was known sooooo many years ago already! -

DIIMEC2 delegate

Perhaps two of the most important new developments were those reported by Ellen Piro on what has happened in Norway, and the new Clinic in Nevada reported on by Annette Whittemore and Daniel Peterson - they are very lucky in both instances! Thank you all again for all your hard work and all the trouble you have gone to in organizing, arranging and managing this remarkable event. Such conferences should have been arranged by the major UK ME/CFS charities long ago - Byron Hyde arranged the 1990 Cambridge event.

DIIMEC2 delegate

"I have come back home determined to help your cause. I am working on a plan to get the Local Press interested in doing a big piece on M.E. in our paper which is read by a very high percentage of people living in Guernsey - hopefully during May. My idea at the moment is to say that I have attended the Conference in London and have come back inspired and elaborate on what you have achieved.

JIIMEC2 delegate

You are a Great Team and deserve to be encouraged in every way possible. You are doing such a fantastic job. Oh boy, do these poor patients need encouragement!!!!! I happen to be one of the lucky ones and that is why I am happy to join in to help fight for those far less fortunate and with little support."

JIIMEC2 delegate

Fantastic conference, many thanks for your hard work. I thought it was fantastic, massively informative, encouraging, inspiring, necessary. It was very powerful hearing so much material from the doctors, researchers and speakers themselves, very, very impressive. I do agree that the speakers all came across as deeply humane. As a patient there was an enormous amount of useful applicable material and info on research hot from the lab so to speak.

NIIMEC2 delegate

Thanks for enquiring if I was OK, was only disorientated due to multiprocessing mayhem, which is worst symptom. A very good venue too, I noticed others remarked on what a pleasant environment, the term 'the organisers did us proud' came to mind. I've been thinking about it all day, as these are serious times requiring strategies. Thanks again, it was brilliant, you must be knackered. A brilliant effort, weight in gold.

NIIMEC2 delegate

"Just to say well done for once again organising such a great conference with brilliant, knowledgeable and dedicated speakers! We are moving forward!!"

LIIMEC2 delegate

To all the wonderful people who helped organising the ME Conference in May 2007!! Just a short note to say Thank you very much for all the hours that you must have spend to give us the opportunity to attend the Conference.

PIIMEC2 delegate

The conference was excellent!

JIIMEC3 delegate

The conference was great and it was really a good feeling to be among others who are working for the same aim. It was also great to see and to hear all these medical researchers who are able to explain at least a good part of this illness and to have the occasion to speak to them.

MIIMEC3 delegate

Well done for yet another excellent conference, keep up the good work.

JIIMEC2 delegate

I attended the second day - an excellent conference - many thanks.

MIIMEC2 delegate

It was a great pleasure to met up with you all again in London this week and congratulations must once more be extended on your terrific organisational talents in getting the job done. As well as the huge flow of information gained from the lectures (OK - some of it went over our heads), WE found it very beneficial to be able to meet with the important players in the ME world, those we were already acquainted with and some we weren't.

DIIMEC2 delegate

Hello To all the hard workers who made this conference come to fruition, you did a splendid job, and you so were so very kind to me, and that means so much to a ME sufferer, when back in my own environment you are looked on as a malinger, and probably have psychological problems. Well, I shall battle on undaunted spreading words and literature the best I can. A big thank you to all of you.

SIIMEC2 delegate

You organised the most impressive conference. I learnt so much and am very grateful to you.

IIMEC4 delegate

Thanks once again for such a wonderful Conference in London, the best I´ve ever seen.

JIIMEC4 delegate

Thank you for a great day in London, the 29 of May. It was an interesting conference.

IIIMEC4 delegate

Thank you for a really excellent conference. I particularly found Dr Nicolson's presentation helpful to bring all the strands together.

RIIMEC4 delegate

I would just like to thank you for putting on a wonderful conference full of excellent speakers and a wealth of information regarding severe ME. I consider myself to be one of those severe sufferers that you were highlighting this year and I also have a fiancee at home who also has severe ME for the last 20 years, so I am grateful to Invest in ME for bringing it to the attention of a wider audience.

TIIMEC4 delegate

Thank you for a wonderfully organized conference! The yearly IiME conferences have become the most important events in Europe, with the best speakers and with focus on subjects that really matters in the battle that we are all fighting.

EIIMEC4 delegate

the conference was top !!!.

AIIMEC4 delegate

Thank you for your excellent organization of the conference and for looking after me while juggling a thousand other details.

MIIMEC4 delegate