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We invite you to watch Nurse Wendy Dragt’s talk about Orthostatic Intolerance (OI) and its Management – now available on our youtube channel < Back Orthostatic Intolerance and its management Presentation 1 Sept 2025 We invite you to watch Nurse Wendy Dragt’s talk about Orthostatic Intolerance (OI) and its Management – now available on our youtube channel We invite you to watch Nurse Wendy Dragt’s talk about Orthostatic Intolerance (OI) and its Management – now available on our youtube channel https://youtu.be/HSj8zcK7XK0 OI is a common symptom in # MECFS, Myalgic Encephalomyelitis / Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. There are various types including #POTS (Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome), #NMH (Neurally Mediated Hypotension) and low Orthostatic Intolerance. This presentation covers: ✦ Definition and background ✦ Patho physiology – what’s going on? ✦ Diagnosis ✦ Management ✦ Resources This recording provides useful information for people with ME/CFS, POTS, or NMH, their health team, and whānau. At 62 minutes long, you may need to take some breaks and watch it over a couple of sessions. Expand the description for the video on YouTube to access the pdf of the slide deck and a timestamped list of the slides, plus more. ___________________________ DISCLAIMER: Please note that ME/CFS Canterbury / West Coast does not recommend any treatments for any individual. Any advice, either explicit or implied, is not intended to replace qualified medical advice. We do not accept any responsibility for any treatment undertaken by readers of any articles or other content, or for any error or omission in connection with any content published on our social media. ME/CFS Canterbury / West Coast is not responsible for the accuracy of content that we link to. The inclusion of such links does not imply endorsement by ME/CFS Canterbury / West Coast. Previous Next

We are looking for another part time Work and Income Advocate to join our team. < Back Work and Income Advocate Vacancy 22 Apr 2026 We are looking for another part time Work and Income Advocate to join our team. We are looking for another part time Work and Income Advocate to join our team. Could you help us to make a difference for people with ME/CFS and long COVID? Or do you know someone who might? ____________________________ About #MECFS : ME/CFS is a serious long-term illness. People living with ME/CFS experience a fluctuating severity of symptoms and are severely impacted in the activities of daily living. Appropriate clinical support and guidance for self-management can improve symptoms and quality of life. ____________________________ About Us: ME/CFS Canterbury / West Coast Charitable Trust is a growing community health organisation and charity. We focus on improving the lives of people living with #MyalgicEncephalomyelitis / #ChronicFatigueSyndrome and #longCOVID and their whānau, by providing information, validation, clinical support, connection, practical support and advocacy. We also provide educational opportunities and guidance about ME/CFS for health professionals. We deliver our services in Canterbury and the West Coast of New Zealand. Visit our website www.mecfscanterbury.nz to find out more. ____________________________ For details about the vacancy: ✦ Ad on TradeMe - https://www.trademe.co.nz/a/jobs/healthcare/community-social-services/canterbury/christchurch-city/part-time/listing/5895976604 ✦ Closing Date: 8am Wednesday 6th May 2026 Previous Next

Blue Sunday, created by Anna Redshaw, is a special day where people come together over a cuppa and some cake to raise awareness and funds for those living with ME/CFS. < Back Blue Sunday - The Tea Party for ME 12 Apr 2026 Blue Sunday, created by Anna Redshaw, is a special day where people come together over a cuppa and some cake to raise awareness and funds for those living with ME/CFS. We invite you to take part in the Tea Party for ME on Sunday, 17 th May 2026. It's an opportunity to feel part of a movement: knowing that others are drinking tea (or whatever) and collectively thinking of you and all those living with ME/CFS. Blue Sunday, created by Anna Redshaw, is a special day where people come together over a cuppa and some cake to raise awareness and funds for those living with ME/CFS. Yes, you can do this quietly in your own home or just go out for coffee wearing something blue. It can also be an opportunity to help raise funds for us, but this is optional. Since 2013, Blue Sunday has raised over £100,000 (est. NZD$266,000) for ME/CFS organisations across the world. Get involved by doing one or more of the following (or version of): Host a tea party at your home, workplace, community group, or even online! Wear something blue - PJ’s or blue nail polish counts! Enjoy a cup of tea (or coffee) and a slice of cake somewhere. Take some photos of your tea party and share on social media with the hashtags #BlueSunday #MECFSCanterbury and tag us @mecfscanterburyinc on facebook and @mecfs_canterbury on instagram. We would love to see your photos! Or email us and we will share. Or share in our Facebook Group . Ask guests and absent whānau to donate the price they’d pay at a cafe to support ME/CFS Canterbury / West Coast: www.mecfscanterbury.nz/donate . ME/CFS themed blug mugs can be purchased on our Crash Wear store. For more info and resources, visit: the-slow-lane.com/blue-sunday-2026 the-slow-lane.com/2020/02/13/what-have-tea-and-cake-got-to-do-with-m-e Image below of Anna Redshaw wearing blue at a blue-themed tea party for Blue Sunday. Previous Next

Thank you to the individuals and funders who have supported our journey since we became a charity in 1985. < Back It’s our 40th Ruby Anniversary! 31 Oct 2025 Thank you to the individuals and funders who have supported our journey since we became a charity in 1985. People often tell us that our charity is the only health service that has understood their life with debilitating chronic illness and provided appropriate clinical, lifestyle, social and other supports. I was overwhelmed, unsure where to start, and felt like no one really understood what I was going through. The support I received here changed that. You helped me feel seen and supported at a time when I was struggling to advocate for myself. A response in our 2025 Survey. We welcome donations to mark this occasion and to enable us to continue to support our vulnerable chronically ill community over our 41st year. Are you able to join our Ruby Crew ? In the last year alone... 277 people enrolled in our Registered Nurse Service to receive support for diagnosis, symptom management, and advocacy. 74 people supported by our advocates to explore the financial assistance available to them from Work and Income NZ. 45 group meetings held around our region to provide connections and education. 574 members: people receiving our updates or engaging with our services in some way. 631 subscribers of our newsletter, including professionals. 8 educational events and material delivered for professionals supporting our community. $0 received from the government’s health budget. We invite you to share this campaign to spread the word. Thank you! Ways to donate: Visit www.givealittle.co.nz/org/mecfs-group-canterbury-inc Use our donation form to pay by debit, credit card, or Google Pay www.mecfscanterbury.nz/donation-form Purchase something from our Crash Wear Merchandise range www.mecfscanterbury.digitees.co.nz Visit www.mecfscanterbury.nz/donate for other ways to contribute For more information about us visit www.mecfscanterbury.nz/how-we-help Link to Disclaimer: www.mecfscanterbury.nz/about-us/disclaimer Previous Next

Your feedback shapes what we do... < Back 2026 Annual Survey – Open Now 23 Jun 2026 Your feedback shapes what we do... Each year we ask our community how we're doing and what would make a difference. This is that. The survey has six optional questions and takes between three and ten minutes, depending on how much you have to say. All questions are optional, answer one or answer all of them. Your feedback helps us to prioritise how we use our limited resources and gives us something concrete to share with funders and supporters. We want to hear what has worked, what hasn't, and what would actually help. Both positive experiences and honest critique are useful to us. All responses are anonymous unless you choose to share your details. ✦ Survey closes: Thursday 16 July 2026 ✦ Take the survey here Ngā mihi, Rose, Greta, Siju, Karen, Tom, and Ruth The Board of ME/CFS Canterbury / West Coast Charitable Trust Previous Next

Canterbury District Health Board's diagnostic and management information for ME/CFS has now been updated with input from MECFS Canterbury. This provides GPs in the region with evidence-based guidance and best practice. < Back New Guidance on ME/CFS for Canterbury GPs 6 Dec 2019 Canterbury District Health Board's diagnostic and management information for ME/CFS has now been updated with input from MECFS Canterbury. This provides GPs in the region with evidence-based guidance and best practice. MECFS Canterbury is excited to announce that the new CDHB (Canterbury District Health Board – now Te Whatu Ora Waitaha ) HealthPathway for ME/CFS is live - as of Friday, 29th November 2019! We have been working with the CDHB team over the last year on getting the content improved. 'HealthPathways' is a website that GPs log into to view best-practice advice for assessing and managing a wide range of health conditions and concerns. Each region /DHB has their own ‘copy’ of the system content, but the base content is provided by Canterbury. The old 'Chronic Fatigue Syndrome' Pathway has been completely rewritten. The new content is largely based on the information on the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention site, as this is the most up-to-date and informative of the government sites around the world. (Check out www.cdc.gov/me-cfs/index.html if you haven’t already.) The new ‘Chronic Fatigue’ Pathway will help GPs to assess someone more thoroughly to confirm if they have ME/CFS, idiopathic chronic fatigue or perhaps other conditions that may have different treatment options. It also guides them to support people to manage their activity carefully. We have prepared a letter about this new information for you to take to your GP, next time you visit. We want GPs to know about the new HealthPathway so that they can support you better.” Letter re new CFS HealthPathway .pdf Download PDF • 129KB Previous Next

Meal preparation can be a difficult task for people with ME/CFS. If possible, try to have some ready-made meals in the freezer or quick meal options for those days when you are very unwell or need to conserve energy for tomorrow's activities. We have curated a list of ready-made meals options below for pickup or delivery to your home. Easy Meals Meal preparation can be a difficult task for people with ME/CFS. If possible, try to have some ready-made meals in the freezer or quick meal options for those days when you are very unwell or need to conserve energy for tomorrow's activities. Consider cooking in bulk and freezing meal-sized portions. We have curated a list of ready-made meals options below for pickup or delivery to your home, or purchase at your supermarket. Not many would be affordable on a tight budget, but perhaps you can share with your whānau, in case they are in a position to purchase some meals for you from time to time. We hope to add supermarket bought easy-prep meal options as well soon. Please note that we made our best efforts to ensure the details were accurate when added, but we may have missed updating some details. Please double check information on the suppliers website before purchasing and do let us know if you discover an error or can suggest an addition. We are grateful to the following ready-made meal suppliers who have offered discounts for our ME/CFS community. See full details and conditions further below. Several suppliers also have discounts for first time purchases or offer specials regularly. Clean Meals - 10% discount EATL8R - 10% discount Kai 2 You - 10% discount Meal Prep - 10% discount My Kitchen Table - 15% discount Also worth highlighting in the list below: Nourish Oraka, a charity based in Shirley, Christchurch, offers free meals. Meals on Wheels may be an option for you. Ask your GP to refer you. Gluten free and dairy free options are available from Clean Meals, Fit Food, Health Kicks, My Kitchen Table, MYLK Food Store, Primal Kitchen, Richards Real Kitchen. Health Kicks offer low FODMAP options. DISCLAIMER: We have no formal relationship with the business activities listed on this website page. Links to these activities are included for convenience. ME/CFS Canterbury / West Coast is not responsible for the currency or accuracy of content on such websites and the inclusion of such links does not imply endorsement by MECFS Canterbury of the linked website or its provider, products and services offered. Readers are advised to take their own appropriate due diligence steps prior to engaging with the businesses and individuals listed. Meals on Wheels https://www.cab.org.nz/community-directory/KB00033364 Hot, nutritious meals for people who have difficulty preparing their own meals. Freshly made meals with a main and a dessert for 3, 4 or 5 days per week. Meals are subsidised in Canterbury and the West Coast by Health NZ and cost $8.70 each. Clients are invoiced at the end of each month and pay Health NZ Canterbury by monthly direct credit or by automatic payment each week/fortnight. Meals on Wheels (MOW) are available by referral from a General Practice team or other Health Professional for a person that meets the following criteria: unable to prepare a hot meal without assistance due to a medical condition or disability; have no family or whānau assistance readily available; need a delivered meal to maintain good nutrition and independence. Other restrictions may apply. For availability in other regions, visit https://info.health.nz/services-support/support-services/meals-on-wheels or search the CAB website. GLUTEN FREE, LACTOSE FREE, VEGETERIAN, DIABETIC, MINCE, PUREED AND SOFT OPTIONS ARE AVAILABLE. Delivery Details: Free delivery around noon each work day by volunteers, to Christchurch, Lincoln, Kaiapoi, Rangiora, Ashburton, Greymouth, Reefton, Hokitika, and some rural areas. Discount Offered - Nourish Oraka https://www.facebook.com/nourishoraka Free meals made from ingredients sourced from Kairos Food Rescue. This community group in Shirley, Christchurch, prepares free meals with ingredients sourced from Kairos Food Rescue, with the menu changing each week. All meals / soups are labelled with ingredients and allergens. GLUTEN FREE, DAIRY FREE AND VEGETARIAN OPTIONS SOMETIMES AVAILABLE. Delivery Details: Pickup only from store at 27 Acheson Ave, Shirley at limited times - usually Monday 1:30 to 2:30 and 5-6pm. Discount Offered - BBQuick https://bbquick.co.nz Real food, made properly — no shortcuts. Freshly made frozen full-sized meals, soups and desserts. Pricing starts at $14.49 per meal. Ready-to-go packs or pick-n-mix to build your own pack. VEGAN AND VEGETARIAN OPTIONS AVAILABLE. Delivery Details: Shipped nationwide from Dunedin with same or next day dispatch. Example shipping fee for 8 meal pack is $14.50 for South Island and $19.50 for North Island delivery. Discount Offered SuperGold Card holders are eligible for $10 off every BBQuick order over $99. Balance by Sim https://balancebysimo.co.nz Ready made meals for a healthy lifestyle by award-winning chef. Freshly made main meals. Subscription or casual pricing starts from $52.00 for minimum of 3 meals per week. GLUTEN FREE, KETO, VEGETARIAN, LOW CARB AND DIABETIC OPTIONS AVAILABLE. Delivery Details: Delivered to your door in the Christchurch city area for $7 per delivery. Order by Sunday for Wednesday delivery. Discount Offered - Clean Meals https://cleanmeals.co.nz Eating clean doesn't need to be bland. Freshly made meals, breakfasts, and snacks. Meals are chilled not frozen. Prices start from $15.50 per meal. Subscriptions and one-off orders available. VEGETARIAN, VEGAN, GLUTEN FREE, DAIRY FREE, NUT FREE, SHELLFISH FREE, SOY FREE, SPICY AND BENSON DETOX OPTIONS ARE AVAILABLE. Delivery Details: Pickup available in Christchurch. Nationwide delivery to your doorstep on Tuesday afternoon. Rural delivery at own risk. The cut-off time to change your meal selections or place an order for the following week is the previous Thursday at 6pm. Discount Offered Use code MECFS25C for 10% off your order. Crisp and Vale https://crispandvale.co.nz Chef-made heat and eat ready meals. Made fresh and stored frozen. Freshly made frozen meals, sides, soup, and dessert. Main meals start from $20.00 serving 2 to 3 people. Casual orders. GLUTEN FREE AND VEGETARIAN OPTIONS AVAILABLE. Delivery Details: Pickup in Sydenham. Same day or next day delivery in Christchurch and surrounding suburbs for $12 within 15km radius, or $25 for up to 25 kms, with minimum spend of $60. Discount Offered - EATL8R https://www.eatl8r.co.nz Nutritious meals delivered to you. The Eatl8r menu changes weekly and with the seasons. Meals, soups, desserts with petite size meals starting at $13 and regular size at $15. Ingredient information provided. Delivery Details: Pickup in Waltham or delivered to Christchurch city suburbs for $6 or Canterbury for $11. Deliveries are made on Thursdays. Discount Offered Use code MECFS10 for 10% off your order. Eat https://www.eat.co.nz Home of fresh, ready to heat and eat meals delivered to your door. Freshly made meals, soups, desserts, and baking with regular sized meals (400g) starting from $13.50 and large (500g) from $15. Frozen potluck boxes and Tiddly meals are frozen. VEGETARIAN OPTIONS ARE AVAILABLE AND TEXTURE MODIFIDED PUREE MEALS ARE AVAILABLE that meet the International Dysphagia Diet Standardisation (IDDSI) Level 4 Puree for people who have difficulty swallowing or have digestive problems. Delivery Details: Delivered nationwide from Wellington with a $35 shipping fee to the South Island. Order by 11am for delivery next day. Discount Offered - Farro https://www.farro.co.nz Dinner made deliciously easy. Build your own meal bundle and care package. Family meals, frozen pizzas, sides, soups, sauces, and desserts. Heat and Eat meals start from $14.99, 2-3 serve meals start from $19.99. Also available to purchase are meal bundles and ready-to-cook options. VEGETARIAN OPTIONS AVAILABLE. Delivery Details: Delivered from Auckland to Christchurch and surrounding areas for $35. Order by Thursday 10am for delivery on Monday. Discount Offered - Fit Food https://www.fitfood.co.nz Healthier. Easier. Better. Fresh and frozen single serve meals, family meals, meal bases, sides, sauces, breakfast meals, and desserts. Fresh meals starting from $12.00. Frozen meals starting from $14.90. Family meals starting from $37.90. Subscription or casual orders. KETO, GLUTEN FREE, DAIRY FREE, VEGAN AND VEGETARIAN OPTIONS ARE AVAILABLE. Delivery Details: Pickup from Rangiora on Monday and Tuesday. Delivery fee within South Island is $12.50. Order by Thursday night for Tuesday delivery. Discount Offered - Freshchef.nz https://freshchef.nz Chef made. Hearty portions are sealed to lock in the freshness & flavour. Freshly made frozen meals and desserts. Meals start from $15.99 with most around $18.49. Order a subscription box or purchase one-off. GLUTEN FREE, VEGAN, VEGETARIAN AND KETO OPTIONS ARE AVAILABLE. Ingredient information provided. Delivery Details: Pickup in Rangiora or delivered nationwide the next day with shipping starting from $9.90. Free shipping on your first order. Discount Offered - Health Kicks https://healthkicks.nz When life happens. We have you covered. Fresh lunch and dinner meals changing each week. Plans start from $70.00 per week for 5 meals. Order meal packs by subscription or one-time purchase. MOST MEALS ARE GLUTEN AND DAIRY FREE. VEGETARIAN AND VEGAN OPTIONS ARE AVAILABLE. Delivery Details: Order by Monday evening for delivery in Christchurch, Timaru and Ashburton on the following Monday. Shipping within Christchurch around $7. Do not deliver to rural addresses. Discount Offered - Healthy Kiwi Dinners https://www.healthykiwidinners.co.nz/ Roast dinners and more that bring comfort, warmth and satisfaction. Frozen and fresh meals, salads, sandwiches, soup and desserts. Fresh meals from $14 and available in three different sizes. Frozen meals are $14 each. Bulk pricing specials. Order by phone. GLUTEN FREE AND VEGETARIAN OPTIONS AVAILABLE. Delivery Details: Pickup in Woolston or delivered to Christchurch area only for around $8 on minimum order of $30. Discount Offered - Just Good Food https://justgoodfood.co.nz Want natural, home-made meals without the fuss of making it? Frozen meals and desserts. Regular meals $12.00, large mains $14.00, Desserts are $10.00. Ingredient information provided. Delivery Details: Christchurch delivery only with $5 fee for minimum order of $40. Free delivery for orders over $100. Order by 2pm Tuesday for delivery Thursday. Discount Offered - Kai 2 You https://www.kai2you.co.nz Ready to heat and eat meals. Made with love. Fresh meals, frozen pies and sausage rolls, soups, scones and desserts. Regular meals from $15, petite meals $11, soup $5. No subscriptions. New menu every week. Gift vouchers are available. Ingredient information available. Delivery Details: Pickup in Papanui or delivered to greater Christchurch with $6-$8 per delivery, based on a minimum order value of $30. Discount Offered Use code MECF10 for 10% off. Supergold card holders get 14% off with code super14. MYLK Food Store https://mylkfoodstore.com From my little kitchen to yours. Handcrafted nutritious meals ready in minutes. Freshly made meals, soups, sides and desserts. Soups start from $9, main dishes from $9.90 (single 200g size). Menu changes each week. One-off orders. Gift vouchers available. GLUTEN FREE, DAIRY FREE AND VEGATERIAN OPTIONS AVAILABLE. Delivery Details: Delivered from Napier to the South Island for $25. Cannot deliver to rural addresses. Order before 4pm on Tuesday for delivery following Tuesday. Discount Offered - Meal Box https://www.mealbox.nz Chef crafted meals. Save time and energy. Freshly made main meals that are flash frozen, and breakfasts. Main Meals from $15.99 each. Breakfast add ons are $9.00. Purchase one-time or on subscription. KETO, LOW CALORIE AND PROTEIN+ OPTIONS AVAILABLE. Ingredients information provided. Delivery Details: South Island shipping cost is $29.99, and North Island is $14.99. Minimum of 5 meals need to be ordered. Next day delivery. Discount Offered - Meal Prep https://mealprep.nz High-protein meals—no prep, no stress. Just heat, eat, and enjoy! Freshly made breakfast meals, lunch and dinners. Lunch and dinner from $14.90. Care packages and gift vouchers available. DAIRY FREE, VEGAN, PLANT BASED AND VEGETARIAN OPTIONS AVAILABLE. Delivery Details: Delivered to the South Island within two days for $28. Discount Offered Use code MECFS10 for 10% off first order of 3 different meals above $50. Not available on subscriptions or meal plans. My Food Bag – Ready Made Meals https://www.myfoodbag.co.nz/ready-made-meals Award winning. Fresh, Ready-Made Meals. Freshly made meals, soups and dessert. 18 meals to choose from every week including homestyle favourites and healthy options. Order in bulk from 4, 6, 9 or 12 meals per week. Pricing starts from $72 for 4 meals ($18 per plate). Purchase on subscription or one-off order. Ingredient information provided. Delivery Details: New Zealand wide delivery $15. Delivered to your door on Saturday, Sunday or Monday depending on your area. Discount Offered - My Kitchen Table https://mykitchentable.nz Chef quality meals proudly made fresh and frozen in Nelson. Freshly made frozen meals, soups and meal boxes. Soups from $9.99 each, single mains from $12.99 and double from $19.99. Meal Boxes start from $89.00. Also available in selected Fresh Choice and New World supermarkets. GLUTEN FREE, DAIRY FREE, VEGAN AND VEGETARIAN OPTIONS AVAILABLE. Delivery Details: Delivered from Nelson to Canterbury and West Coast $14.90 per order. Orders made by noon are normally delivered the next day. Discount Offered Use code MECFS15 for 15% off. Not available on specials. Pasta Vera https://pasta.co.nz/product-category/retail-range/ready-meals/ Locally made lasagne, filled pasta, and ready meals. Lasagne, pasta and other meals. Meals from $9.49. VEGETARIAN, VEGAN, GLUTEN FREE AND DAIRY FREE OPTIONS AVAILABLE. Delivery Details: Available from selected supermarkets and the factory store in Wigram. Discount Offered - Primal Kitchen https://primalkitchen.co.nz All natural. Grain free. No refined sugar. Soy free. Freshly made meals, frozen meals, meal packs, subscriptions, family packs, snacks and treats. Frozen Meals start from $14.95, frozen subscriptions start from $69.95 per week, Random selection of frozen meals are $15.25. Gift Vouchers available. GLUTEN FREE, DAIRY FREE AND KETO OPTIONS ARE AVAILABLE. Delivery Details: Delivered from Porirua, Wellington, to South Island for $35. Order on Friday for delivery on following Tuesday or Thursday. Discount Offered - Richards Real Kitchen https://www.richardsrealkitchen.co.nz Delicious fresh and frozen heat and eat meals in single and family size. Fresh and frozen meals, soups and desserts. Meals from $14 each for a single serve (large by weight, volume and protein), family-sized from $39. One-off orders. Gift vouchers available. GLUTEN FREE, VEGAN, DAIRY FREE AND VEGETARIAN OPTIONS AVAILABLE. Fewer processed additives. Delivery Details: Pickup from Wigram or delivery fee from $5 for Christchurch and surrounding areas. Order by 11am for same day delivery. Leave a chilly bin on the doorstep for delivery. Discount Offered - Strength Meals https://strengthmealsco.co.nz/ High protein, macro balanced meals formulated by nutritionist Frozen meals and chilled or canned soups. Soups $5.50 and meals $13.50. VEGETARIAN, VEGAN, GLUTEN FREE, DAIRY FREE, LOW SUGAR OPTIONS ARE AVAILABLE. Delivery Details: Only available from Woolworths supermarkets. Discount Offered - Timata https://www.timata.nz Tīmata provides easy access to affordable, nutritious ready-made meals. Fresh meals and desserts purchased in bulk. Six meals for $79.98 ($13.33 each) or 8 Meals for $99.98 ($12.50 each). Subscription, with variable weekly options. Timata provides additional supports designed for the Enabled Good Lives disabled community including delivery of medications and groceries, and a platform to connect providers with members. Delivery Details: Free delivery nationwide from Invercargill, excluding rural delivery addresses. Delivered overnight or on the day selected. Discount Offered - Traiteur https://www.traiteur.co.nz/order/heat-eat Homemade happiness, delivered to you. Heat and eat meals, soups, salads, sweet treats, and butchery meat. Heat and eat meals start from $14.50, soups $10.50, salads from $7.50, weekly menu starts from $21.95. treats from $4.95. One-off orders. VEGETARIAN OPTIONS ARE AVAILABLE. Delivery Details: Pickup from Papanui or delivery in surrounding neighbourhood on Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday. Discount Offered -

Spectrum of Severity The severity of ME/CFS is on a spectrum. The level of symptoms and severity experienced by each person with ME/CFS is unique and is likely to fluctuate over time. Some people do improve or go into remission for periods of time. Often those who are most severely unwell are those who were not given the advice to rest and pace activites when first unwell. Historically, four general terms are used to categorise the wide spectrum of disease severity and functional impairment seen in ME/CFS: Mild, Moderate, Severe, Very Severe. It’s worth noting that a ‘Mild’ level of severity may be close to a 50% reduction in functionality – certainly not a ‘mild’ impact for the person living with it. For others who are in the Mild catgory, they may be able to live a fairly normal life if they avoid exceeding their activity limits. Mild Mobile and able to self-care. May be working or attending school, but often with accommodations and by reducing other domestic and social activities. Severe Mostly homebound. Limited activities of daily living (e.g., self-care, showering, dressing). Severe cognitive difficulties. May be wheelchair dependent. Moderate Reduced mobility and restricted activities of daily living. Requires frequent rest periods and typically not working or attending school. Very Severe Bedbound. Unable to carry out most activities of daily living for themselves. Often extreme sensory sensitivity to light, sound, touch, etc. May need total care Quality of Life ME/CFS is a disabling illness that affects daily life. Studies that look at the Health-Related Quality of Life index (HRQoL) consider five dimensions: Mobility Self-care Usual activities Pain/discomfort Anxiety/depression Results of studies for people with ME/CFS confirm a significantly lower quality of life than the population mean and the lowest of all the compared conditions. ME/CFS – 0.47 Depression - 0.62 Multiple Sclerosis – 0.67 Breast Cancer – 0.75 General Population – 0.85 Link https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0132421 PREVIOUS PAGE NEXT PAGE

Why do we use the Godwit, the Kuaka, in our logo? Our logo depicts a flying Kuaka, the godwit. These birds show incredible endurance and are recognised for their tenacity and perseverance. Every year, as winter approaches, the Kuaka fly north to the breeding grounds of Alaska, stopping off in Korea and Japan for a rest and some food on the way. On the return journey, as our summer approaches, they fly directly to New Zealand, a trip of endurance with no food, water, or rest; nearly 12,000 km non-stop. The Kuaka fly in flocks, with birds taking turns to lead and conserve their energy in the slipstream of others. Some banded birds have made that journey 20 times and some of them come to the Canterbury coast. The Kuaka arrive back at the Avon Heathcote Estuary every spring. In the face of an enormous challenge, the Kuaka brings a spirit of endurance and cooperation, and that is what makes the Kuaka an appropriate symbol for MECFS Canterbury. Riegan, A. (2011, September 9). Flight path of E7. Science Learning Hub Pokapū Akoranga Pūtaiao The Kuaka have been seen as birds of mystery: there is a saying: ‘Kua kite te kohanga kuaka?’, ‘Who has seen the nest of the kuaka?’. The mystery of course was because the Kuaka makes their nests far away in Alaska. There’s a parallel there with our experience with ME/CFS. The illness is as real as the Kuaka, but no one yet knows what is causing it. Hopefully one day, soon, the answer to the mystery will be as obvious as the location of the Kuaka’s nests is to us now. There’s another evocative saying about the kuaka that can inspire our community: ‘Ka ngau ki te turi kakao te paringa o te tai, e tika te rere o te kuaka’ ‘The spinifex wanders along the beach like the incoming tide, the kuaka flies direct’. The big spiny seed heads of the spinifex plant move along the beach like tumbleweeds, backwards and forwards at the whim of the wind. But the Kuaka make their own way, working with purpose and as a group to achieve something remarkable. Buller, W. L. (1967). Buller’s birds of New Zealand: A new edition of Sir Walter Lawry Buller’s a History of the birds of New Zealand. Whitcombe & Tombs.    It’s said that when Pacific explorers saw the flocks of Kuaka flying so determinedly and seeing that they weren’t sea-birds, they knew that there must be land to the south. So, they set off, following the Kuaka flocks, and discovered Aotearoa. We like to think that the scientists can be like those explorers, following the clues from people with ME/CFS, to make a great medical discovery.

Help a friend with ME/CFS If you know someone who lives with ME/CFS, your help and support can make an important difference to their lives. Ask them what would make things easier for them, and what support they would like. Perhaps prepare a meal, provide quiet company, help with housework or maintenance, or pay a bill. If you invite them to an event, consider how to reduce the energy required of them, provide a quiet space to rest, and be aware that they may need to cancel on the day if they are too unwell. Believe them. Learn about their experience and the illness. Remember to manage the support you give around your own needs. Possible next steps: Support your friend to join us so that they can receive our services. FILL OUT OUR MEMBERSHIP FORM Have any questions? Please reach out to us. CONTACT US Guidance for hosting and gifts:

Volunteer Outreach Services We have a growing team of wonderful volunteers in our Outreach Service who provide one-off or regular practical support for people affected by ME/CFS. Our kind volunteers help with tasks such as housework, dog-walking, gardening, friendly company, and technical support. This support can help clients to stabilise symptoms, manage obligations and domestic activities, and reduce isolation. We won’t always have a volunteer to match with you in your area, but if you let us know what your needs are, we can certainly try to find someone. All our volunteers have a clean result from a Police Check, are given information about ME/CFS, and sign confidentiality and other volunteer agreements. A quick note to set expectations of our Outreach Service... T here are some factors affecting the capacity of this service currently: It is coordinated by a part time volunteer, and sometimes the coordinator position itself is vacant. It takes time to onboard volunteers and then to match them with clients that need the help offered in the suburb needed. Volunteers do not always stay for long, as they may move onto employment or further study. However, please do put your name on the list if you are interested in this support. We can't guarantee we will find a volunteer for you, but it makes it possible if we know what your needs are. To access this service: To refer yourself to the Volunteer Outreach Service, sign up as a member and note on the form what help would be beneficial, and one of our team will be in touch. FILL OUT OUR MEMBERSHIP FORM CONTACT US If you are already a member, send us an email about the help you are needing.

Privacy notice for MECFS Canterbury MECFS Canterbury complies with the Privacy Act and the Health Information Privacy Code . If you are not satisfied with our response to any privacy-related concern you raise with us, you can contact the Privacy Commissioner . Collection and Use of Personal Information We may ask you to provide and collect personal information from you, including the following information: Name, Age, Ethnicity Contact information Interactions with us Membership status Survey responses (not linked to personal information) Consent agreements for services Health details Clinical notes and support activity We collect your personal information in order to: Stay in touch and inform you about our activities. Provide statistical summarised information to our funding providers. Provide support and services to you, and to respond to feedback and queries. With your permission, we may share relevant health information with other healthcare professionals in a confidential manner, with the aim of improving the support you receive from your healthcare team. Providing some information is optional. If you choose not to provide contact details and information about your health, we may not be able to provide you with expected services. We keep your information safe by storing it securely (password-protected electronic storage and databases) and allowing only those authorised to see it. Paper based records are shredded when no longer needed. You have the right to ask for a copy of any personal information we hold about you, and to ask for it to be corrected if you think it is wrong. If you would like to ask for a copy of your information, or to have it corrected, please contact us at info@mecfscanterbury.nz , or 03-365-5887. Collection and Use of Website Visit Information Statistical Information We may collect statistical information about your visit to this website to help us improve it. This information is aggregated and doesn’t identify you personally. It includes: Your IP address The search terms you used The pages you visited on our site and the links you clicked on The date and time you visited the site The referring site (if any) from which you clicked through to this site Your operating system, for example Windows XP, Mac OS X The type of web browser you use, such as Edge, Chrome or Mozilla Firefox Other things like your screen resolution and the language setting of your browser. The statistical information referred to above can be viewed by site administrators and certain other staff. It may also be shared with government agencies. Google Analytics We use Google Analytics on our website to track your actions and help us optimise our site for conversions and usability. While we can see data gathered over a timeframe, we do not collect personally identifying information from any source as part of the terms of service of Google Analytics. A condition of our use of Google Analytics is that we make reasonable endeavours to bring to your attention the following statement: This website uses Google Analytics, a web analytics service provided by Google, Inc. (“Google”). Google Analytics uses “cookies”, which are text files placed on your computer, to help the website analyse how users use the site. The information generated by the cookie about your use of the website (including your IP address) will be transmitted to and stored by Google on servers in the United States. Google will use this information for the purpose of evaluating your use of the website, compiling reports on website activity for website operators and providing other services relating to website activity and internet usage. Google may also transfer this information to third parties where required to do so by law, or where such third parties process the information on Google’s behalf. Google will not associate your IP address with any other data held by Google. You may refuse the use of cookies by selecting the appropriate settings on your browser, however, please note that if you do this you may not be able to use the full functionality of this website. By using this website, you consent to the processing of data about you by Google in the manner and for the purposes set out above. We have implemented Google Analytics demographic and interest reporting based on the Google Display Network in order to provide information about users that is used to optimise our website. Any data collected by Google for the purposes of Google Analytics will be treated according to Google’s Privacy Policy. If you would like to opt-out of being tracked by Google Analytics, then you can do so using the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on. Cookies This site generates persistent session cookies (that is, they have an expiry date and are removed on that date) for the purpose of monitoring site usage. The cookies don’t collect personal information. You can disable them or clear them out of your web browser without affecting your ability to use the site.