MEFM Society of BC

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MEFM Society of BC

Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME) and Fibromyalgia (FM) affect over 100,000 British Columbia residents

We are a registered charity that was formed to help and support people, and their families, living with the health conditions Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME) and/or Fibromyalgia (FM).

08/03/2026

New resource for healthcare providers 📋

Our own survey data shows most patients rank "more knowledgeable providers" as their top priority for better care, and most physicians say they feel only moderately confident in diagnosing and treating ME.

We've launched a new Clinician Education and Training page: a curated, free list of continuing education resources covering diagnosis, post-exertional malaise, orthostatic intolerance, disability documentation, and more, drawn from trusted sources like the ME Association, CDC/Medscape, the Bateman Horne Center, Solve ME/CFS Initiative, and NICE Guideline NG206.

If you have a healthcare provider, this is an easy way to help them learn more. Share the link below, or bring it to your next appointment.

https://www.mefm.bc.ca/clinician-education-and-training

07/30/2026

Why does defining Long COVID matter? A new peer-reviewed study confirms what we've said before: getting the definitions right isn't just academic; it directly affects whether research is valid and whether treatments help or harm.

The study, "Rethinking measurement of health outcomes in Long COVID," found that many studies use only partial definitions or lump Long COVID/ME in with a lengthened recovery from the virus, organ damage, or flare-ups of existing conditions. The researchers put it plainly: failure to account for this variability limits our ability to show whether treatments actually work.

That's why we've put together a breakdown of the different types of Long COVID, each with its own symptoms, risks, and treatments. Understanding which one a person is experiencing is critical to getting the right care.

Read more in our blog:
https://www.mefm.bc.ca/post/why-defining-long-covid-matters-for-research-and-care

07/28/2026

The ME|FM Society of BC is looking for skilled individuals to join our Board. Together, we create and execute strategic plans and help deliver programs like our Social Support Groups and the My MLA and ME Outreach Campaign.

We're currently focused on recruiting in three areas:

-Fundraising
-Non-profit management and administration
-Financial Management (Treasurer: CPA or CGA)
-Legal

Board members volunteer about 10 hours per month, and all society work is virtual. We accommodate those with disabilities and understand the challenges many of our Board and volunteers face with respect to participation.

Interested? Apply by Aug. 27, 2026. Send your resume, cover letter, and references to [email protected].

https://www.mefm.bc.ca

07/23/2026

Take the challenge! We're inviting our community, and yours, to send us a short video (15 seconds or less) or photo of yourselves planking in support of ME research. This challenge supports the Open Medicine Foundation's (OMF) current fundraising campaign.

Can't hold a plank? No problem. Lie down on the floor, a couch, or a bed instead, and just say you're planking in support of ME research.

However you choose to participate, we'd love to have you.

Details and submission info in our latest blog.

https://www.mefm.bc.ca/post/take-the-plank4me-challenge-support-me-research

07/07/2026

New research may help explain why exertion hits so hard for people with ME/CFS.

Dr. Alain Moreau's team at OMF found that people with ME/CFS have lower levels of a muscle protein called irisin, and a blunted response to physical exertion, offering a possible piece of the post-exertional malaise (PEM) puzzle.

Want the full breakdown? Join OMF's live Journal Club on July 9 at 1 p.m. ET.

Read our summary → https://www.mefm.bc.ca/news/categories/research-education
Register for the webinar → https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_Vz4RSa0uS_q8IrFiJcbt_g #/registration

07/02/2026

You shouldn't have to explain yourself to get through an airport.

For people living with ME, Long COVID, or other invisible illnesses, travel can mean justifying your condition to strangers again and again, just to get the support you need. The Hidden Disabilities Sunflower Program offers a quieter way.

Air Canada was the first airline in North America to adopt the program, and ME is specifically listed among the conditions it recognises. Wearing the Sunflower lanyard lets you signal, without a word, that you may need a little extra time or patience. Vancouver International Airport (YVR) participates too, so BC travellers have support on both ends of a trip.

Read more about how it works and how to access one before your next flight → https://www.mefm.bc.ca/post/a-quiet-signal-how-the-sunflower-program-supports-me-travellers

06/30/2026

These illnesses isolate. Not as a side effect, but as one of the most devastating parts of living with ME or Long COVID. Work, friendships, community, the life you had, all stripped away. What’s left, for so many, is isolation and even fear.

For seniors, that isolation can run even deeper.

In our 2025 community survey, we didn’t ask about social support groups. Seniors told us anyway. One said the worst part of the illness, after not being able to meet basic living needs, is “the total lack of ability to meet social needs and reduce loneliness.”

Another said that meeting with other patients is “absolutely crucial for… maintaining mental health” and that having access to people with similar diagnoses is crucial “so [we] don’t feel alone.”

They weren’t alone in saying it. Patients of all ages told us the same thing, unprompted.

Connection isn’t a luxury for people living with these illnesses. It’s a lifeline.

Read the full post and hear directly from your community, in their own words → https://www.mefm.bc.ca/post/you-are-not-alone-isolation-seniors-and-the-power-of-peer-support

→ Do you attend a peer support group? Has it made a difference? We’d love to hear from you.

Join our Social Support Groups https://www.mefm.bc.ca/support-groups

06/18/2026

Thanks to your incredible generosity and support!

Including triple-matching funds from a generous long-time sponsor, just over $11,000 was raised to support our advocacy and project work. Every dollar is going toward creating real change for our community.

Prize winners have been drawn and are being contacted now — congratulations to all!

A heartfelt thank you to everyone who donated, shared, and cheered us on, and to the wonderful team at Opera Mariposa for their continued partnership and support. This community never stops showing up for each other.

06/16/2026

Your voice is shaping the future of ME research. 🔬

OMF Canada received 1,258 responses to their Patient and Caregiver Survey on research priorities — and the results reflect what so many in our community experience every day.

The top priorities identified:

✔ Post-exertional symptom worsening
✔ Mitochondrial dysfunction
✔ Cognitive dysfunction
✔ Neuroinflammation & immune dysregulation
✔ Overall energy

Community members also called for research that takes a whole-systems approach to understanding and treating the disease—because ME is complex, and the science needs to reflect that.

Want to hear what OMF Canada plans to do with these findings? Join their free webinar on Monday, June 22 at 10 a.m. PT.

Open Medicine Foundation

https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_VuIC0-qRTzW4AqNuODdvLQ #/registration

05/21/2026

We're in the final stretch of our May fundraising campaign, and every dollar still counts triple.

If you've been meaning to give, now is the time. And if you want to make it extra special, donate in the name of someone who has supported you through your illness and invite them to be part of this community. 💙

Don't let this opportunity pass. 💙
Donate before June 1: canadahelps.org/en/dn/144527

Opera Mariposa

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Address

Vancouver, BC
V6J5M4

Telephone

+16048787707

Website

http://www.mefm.bc.ca/

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