Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Fibromyalgia and Multiple Chemical Sensitivities Awareness Day
Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Fibromyalgia and Multiple Chemical Sensitivities Awareness Day
May 12, 2014
WHEREAS Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Fibromyalgia and Multiple Chemical Sensitivities Awareness Day aims to raise awareness and end the stigma and discrimination that accompanies these chronic illnesses.
Over 568,000 individuals living in Ontario are afflicted with one of the three following chronic illnesses: Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Fibromyalgia or Multiple Chemical Sensitivities. Once diagnosed, an individual is often ill for years with as many as 70 per cent of sufferers becoming disabled for life.
Myalgic Encephalomyelitis, commonly known as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, is a neurological and autoimmune disease characterized by overwhelming fatigue, pain, headaches, cardiac symptoms, immune disorders, dizziness and balance problems.
Fibromyalgia is characterized by severe musculoskeletal pain and tenderness in many areas of the body along with fatigue and sleep dysfunction, generalized or regional stiffness and in some cases neurological and cognitive symptoms. This pain can become strong enough to prevent people from working or engaging in physical activities for months and even years.
Multiple Chemical Sensitivities, also called Environmental Sensitivities or Intolerance, are initiated by an unusually severe sensitivity or allergy-like reaction to many different kinds of pollutants such as chemicals, perfumes and other environmental triggers.
Each year on May 12, communities across Ontario will join the Myalgic Encephalomyelitis Association of Ontario to increase awareness and educate the medical profession about these chronic conditions. Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Fibromyalgia and Multiple Chemical Sensitivities Awareness Day will raise funds to support the crucial services provided by the Myalgic Encephalomyelitis Association of Ontario and other organizations.
NOW THEREFORE, I, Mayor Rob Ford, on behalf of Toronto City Council, do hereby proclaim May 12, 2014 as “Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Fibromyalgia and Multiple Chemical Sensitivities Awareness Day” in the City of Toronto.
♦
With thanks to MEAO (Myalgic Encephalomyelitis Association of Ontario)
Seriously "Sensitive" to Pollution 
I like the awareness part. Are they a fragrance-free city too? :D
Ha!
I am so tired of “awareness” and think it’s time to move to laws, accommodation, and prevention.
As far as I know, “awareness” is all anyone anywhere is willing to do. The fragrance industry weasels a seat on any discussions where policies are considered and generally are able to get an “arm’s length” voluntary awareness campaign of a few lines hidden here or there… Just like the tobacco industry got smoking and non-smoking sections everywhere for a while (and we all know how well those worked).
No-one seems willing to enforce any policies, as they are all voluntary, and not law or bylaw.
While the city COULD ban fragrance use like they did with smoking before the ban went province wide, they haven’t… and really, since province enforces no smoking for health reasons, they have to enforce no toxic fragrance chemicals with legislation too.
http://www.mhp.gov.on.ca/en/smoke-free/legislation/
“The Smoke-Free Ontario Act prohibits smoking in workplaces, enclosed public spaces and also in motor vehicles when children under 16 are present. It also bans the public display of tobacco products prior to purchase and prohibits youth-targeted tobacco products such as flavoured cigarillos.” …
The word awareness was my frustration this week. All the info I gave my former school district — watching what the toxic chemicals did to me — they are aware. They have been aware. You are right it IS time for action. The frustrating part is that those of us who know it — are so sick it is hard to post one blog post — let alone change the ways of governments and industry and the general public.Somehow we need to get our millions of voices to somehow come together as one united voice.
“They” know that herding feral cats is easier than organizing people disabled by MCS… Sadly this has meant that so many more people have become injured and chronically disabled by completely preventable exposures.
What IS changing now is that parents of young children are cluing in and want to protect their babies…
When we have people who are still healthy working together to make the changes, they will happen.
It’s true, once something is seen to affect babies, change is more likely to happen. If something affects adults, especially female adults, good luck. I agree, the word “awareness” doesn’t cut it for me. I like the word “money,” as in “more money for research and treatment and safe living spaces.” P.S. Please be careful with chipmunks; they are Lyme vectors. :-( It is Lyme awareness month too…also allergy awareness month. I have never been so tired and so aware.
What we need is more heart, courage and will to change… And maybe some awareness that those are feasible alternatives ;-)