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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

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE, UK) has today, Friday 29 October 2021, published the guideline for ME/CFS: diagnosis and management, after a robust 3 year review process. < Back NICE releases new guidance for ME/CFS 28 Oct 2021 The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE, UK) has today, Friday 29 October 2021, published the guideline for ME/CFS: diagnosis and management, after a robust 3 year review process. New NICE guideline creates hope - a paradigm shift in the care of people with #MEcfs Extracts from the Science for ME press release... "The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE, UK) has today, Friday 29 October 2021, published the guideline for #MyalgicEncephalomyelitis (or encephalopathy)/ #chronicfatiguesyndrome : diagnosis and management." "The guideline replaces the existing clinical guideline published in 2007 and aims to improve awareness and understanding about ME/CFS, provide guidance on when to suspect it (to enable earlier diagnosis), and includes recommendations on access to care, symptom management and care planning." "NICE staff and the members of the guideline committee have worked for over three years to carefully examine the evidence... The guideline is a publication of international significance, providing an example of good practice that will influence ME/CFS care around the world." - Including here in New Zealand. "The guideline makes it clear that graded exercise therapy (GET) should no longer be offered to people with ME/CFS, and that both cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and therapies based on physical activity are not curative. This is based on a review of the evidence, which rated the outcomes for studies of these interventions all of low or very low quality. This is a welcome and significant, evidence based change in approach from the 2007 ME/CFS guideline, in which CBT and GET were central to treatment. Link to the new NICE guidelines:  https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng206 Previous Next

The Mayo Clinic Proceedings publication has recently published a consensus recommendation article for ME/CFS written by the ME/CFS Clinician Coalition. It is exciting that another leading health care publication is sharing up-to-date evidence based information about ME/CFS. < Back Mayo Clinic releases new consensus clinical guidance for ME/CFS 4 Sept 2021 The Mayo Clinic Proceedings publication has recently published a consensus recommendation article for ME/CFS written by the ME/CFS Clinician Coalition. It is exciting that another leading health care publication is sharing up-to-date evidence based information about ME/CFS. The Mayo Clinic Proceedings publication is a premier peer-reviewed clinical journal for general and internal medicine, and is among the most widely read and highly cited scientific publications for physicians. The journal has recently published a consensus recommendation article "Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Essentials of Diagnosis and Management" by Lucinda Bateman et al (US ME/CFS Clinician Coalition). The lengthy article (14 pages + references) discusses diagnosis and management, and highlights: key biological impairments in ME/CFS. the need to identify/treat co-morbidities. why GET (Graded Exercise Therapy) is not recommended. the link to Long COVID. It is exciting that another leading health care publication is sharing up-to-date evidence based information about ME. Of note, this article cites research from exercise physiologist, Dr Lynette Hodges, Massey University, NZ. Author Dr. Lucinda Bateman notes, “There are many steps clinicians can take now to improve the health, function, and quality of life of people with ME/CFS, including those newly ill with ME/CFS following COVID-19. This guidance may also help Long COVID patients, even if they do not fully meet criteria for ME/CFS.” Please note that the medication section is based on the US environment, which has a large range of medications available and where clinicians are able to be more experimental with off-label prescriptions than in other countries such as NZ. For local guidance for NZ medical professionals, we recommend the NZ Doctor How to Treat: ME/CFS article. (Available https://m.e.awareness.nz/how-to-treat-mecfs .) Link: https://www.mayoclinicproceedings.org/article/S0025-6196(21)00513-9/fulltext Previous Next

Wendy Dragt, a nurse at MECFS Canterbury, recently presented an overview of Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS) and Hypermobility Spectrum Disorders (HSD) for us. The talk covered definitions, diagnosis, management, plus more. < Back Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS) and Hypermobility Disorders presentation 4 Apr 2025 Wendy Dragt, a nurse at MECFS Canterbury, recently presented an overview of Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS) and Hypermobility Spectrum Disorders (HSD) for us. The talk covered definitions, diagnosis, management, plus more. Wendy Dragt, a nurse at MECFS Canterbury, recently presented an overview of Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS) and Hypermobility Spectrum Disorders (HSD) for us. The talk covered definitions, diagnosis, management, plus more. People with EDS or HSD have joints that have a greater range of motion than is expected or usual. EDS also has significant connective tissue abnormalities that affect skin, joints, muscles and blood vessels. Symptoms can include subluxation, dislocation, chronic pain and fatigue, Dysautonomia (POTS), gastrointestinal issues, Mast Cell Activation Disorder, and more. The recording is now available to watch on our YouTube Channel. https://youtu.be/6jEasfypq0k Expand the description on the video to access the slide deck in pdf format (with bonus slides) and a list of other useful references. Previous Next

When considering what supplements and treatments might be beneficial, we can refer to expert ME/CFS clinicians around the world and anecdotal evidence from the ME/CFS community, along with what published research there is. But care must be taken to always consider the individual, the risk of harm, and to approach any new treatment safely. We offer some guidelines for this. Supplements and Treatments In a perfect world, it would be understood what each of our bodies need to enable improvement and recovery. In this future world, there will be duplicated, published peer-reviewed clinical trials to back up any treatment recommendations that might be made. There would also be medical professionals who are knowledgeable in assessing each person's health and who have the expertise to manage symptoms and monitor treatments. We certainly aren’t there yet. Right now, when considering what supplements and treatments might be beneficial, we can refer to expert ME/CFS clinicians around the world and anecdotal evidence from the ME/CFS community, along with what published research there is. But care must be taken to always consider the individual, the risk of harm, and to approach any new treatment safely. We offer some guidelines for this below. DISCLAIMER: MECFS Canterbury does not provide recommendations for any treatments for your particular situation on this website. Any advice, either explicit or implied, is not intended to replace the qualified medical advice that is necessary for each individual. Please discuss any lifestyle and treatment changes with your doctor first. MECFS Canterbury does not accept any responsibility for any treatment undertaken by readers of any content or for any error or omission in connection with an article or content published on this website. What Lived Experience Tells Us From decades of people with ME/CFS and their doctors sharing what may help, we can make these points: Pacing our activity and energy expenditure, and including rest periods in each day, seems to be the best treatment protocol to manage symptoms and improve quality of life. Managing stress and calming the parasympathetic system through relaxation therapies often helps. People often report a supplement may be helpful for a period of time, but then it loses its impact. That initial period of respite may still be of high value. Stopping and then starting again may restart effectiveness. Supplements and therapies can cost a lot – at a time when we are likely to have limited financial resources. Given many treatments do not have evidence to support their use, will not work for every individual, or not for long, it can be difficult justifying investing in them. Purchasing a mobility aid or hiring a cleaner to help pacing, may achieve more. It is likely that there are subtypes of ME/CFS, and these may require different treatment pathways. People are often diagnosed with ME/CFS when a differential diagnosis or comorbid condition should have been identified. e.g. EDS, MS. The Risk of Harm Some supplements, treatments and therapies can DO HARM: While “natural” medicines and conventional pharmaceuticals can be helpful, they can also be contraindicated or dangerous if you have other diagnoses or are on other medication. Examples: Did you know that anecdotally, even basic supplements like magnesium, vitamin D and C can have negative health effects? Did you know that an estimated 1 in 250 people in NZ are at risk of developing hereditary haemochromatosis (toxic iron overload) so should never take iron supplements? People with ME/CFS can be very sensitive to supplements and vitamins, so their response cannot be assumed or judged from the experience of others with ME/CFS, or the general public. Fillers in supplements (as an example, mag stearate) can affect people with ME/CFS badly. Stimulants may seem an intuitive choice, but they frequently backfire in ME/CFS, leading to a very brief boost followed by a crash. Some Neuro-linguistic programming (NLP) therapies encourage people to exceed their energy envelope and risk pushing people with ME/CFS into a more severe symptom level. Graded Exercise Therapy (GET) is contraindicated, and is harmful when exercise is increased and triggers PEM.. Guidelines for Introducing Something New We recommend that you consult with your GP before starting new treatments. Add only one supplement change at a time, so that it is easier to verify what is helping or not. Start supplements on extremely low doses, because many people with ME/CFS are hypersensitive. Stop supplements/treatment if any negative reactions/symptoms are experienced (please check with your GP if this needs to be done gradually) Monitor the use of supplements extremely carefully. Keep a journal prior to starting – it is so easy to miss or over-inflate impacts. Trial for 2 – 3 months. If unsure whether it is helping, stop for a period (in a way that is safe to do) and monitor any changes. Start Low. Go Slow. Keep a record. Potential Supplements and Medications This is a list of potential supplements that some ME/CFS patients can tolerate and have sometimes found helpful. Unfortunately, this does not mean they will be good or helpful for you. PLEASE talk to your doctor and refer to the risks and approach guidelines above before trailing. Vitamin D - for those housebound and don’t get enough sun, preferably after a vitamin D test. Magnesium malate - in evening for insomnia, but some forms can disturb sleep and bowels. Lypospheric Vitamin C or the cheaper standard Vitamin C - for immune support. Vitamin B12 and B multi - for brain fog and fatigue (supplements are considered less effective than injections). Refer to our B12 information leaflet . Electrolytes – for those with Orthostatic Intolerance symptoms. Extra salt can be a good alternative, unless you have high blood pressure. Your GP can prescribe Electral. Gut health tonic - for digestive issues. Iron - only when deficiency has been confirmed by a blood test. Co-Q10 - some people have found this effective for mitochondrial support. NAC (N-acetylecysteine) – enhances mitochondrial support. Antihistamines – particularly if signs of MCAS, Mast Cell Activation Syndrome. Melatonin slow release – for sleep support. Horopito therapeutics - for systemic Candida. Low Dose Naltrexone (LDN) – evidence for pain support, emerging evidence for fatigue support. Used 'off-label' in New Zealand. Refer to our LDN leaflet . Evening primrose oil - may be helpful in relieving joint pain. Mestinon (pyridostigmine bromide) - emerging evidence for supporting aerobic capacity, fatigue, muscle strength and mental clarity. Used 'off-label' in New Zealand. Refer to our Mestinon leaflet . Refer to our further reading list for more information about these recommendations. Potential Therapies This is a list of potential therapies that some ME/CFS patients have found helpful. Unfortunately, this does not mean they will be good or helpful for you. PLEASE talk to your health team and refer to the risks and safe approaches suggested in our guidelines above before trailing. Vagus Nerve Stimulation (VNS ) - calming the Sympathetic Nervous System (SNS), the fight /flight response in the Autonomic Nervous System (ANS). Breathing Techniques such as 4-7-8 breath - for calming your ANS. Also see our Mental Wellbeing section for relaxation therapies. Further Reading Clinical Care Guide from Bateman Horne Centre, USA, a 98 page document published 2025. Clinical Primer from IACFSME (International [Clinician] Association for CFS/ME), 2014. Particularly Section 5 Management and Treatment. List (crowd-sourced) of supplements & considerations for pwME including what research exists https://me-pedia.org/wiki/MEpedia:Contents#Herbs.2C_supplements_and_nutraceuticals Statement from M.E. Awareness NZ on alternative medicine and therapy programmes https://m.e.awareness.nz/position-statements Advice from ME Association UK, who are strongly evidence-based. They provide general guidance and leaflets covering various supplements, therapies and medications https://meassociation.org.uk/free-literature-downloads/ There are supplement recommendations in Dr Sarah Myhill’s book about ME, “It’s Mitochondria not hypochondria” (we have a copy in our library). Again, no researched evidence on these, just anecdotal evidence. Visit our Links page for more information.

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

The main management approach for ME/CFS is reducing your activity to a level that can be sustained and that avoids triggering Post-Exertional Malaise (PEM). We provide some guidance on activity management and pacing here. Activity Management The main management approach for ME/CFS is reducing your activity to a level that can be sustained and that avoids triggering Post-Exertional Malaise (PEM). Post-exertional Malaise (PEM) is a core symptom of ME/CFS and it is an abnormal response to normal activity. It is a disproportionate and prolonged increase in symptoms. PEM makes us sicker and makes it harder to function and participate in our daily life. PEM can be triggered by various kinds of activity - physical, mental, emotional, orthostatic (moving to an upright position), sensory overload, multi-tasking, and physiological processes (temperature regulation, digestion). PEM often occurs hours or days after the triggering activity. Activity management is key to minimising PEM and to stabilising symptom severity. Adopt the ‘Stop, Rest, Pace.’ approach and practice pacing as your commitments allow. We provide more detailed information below. Pacing Pacing helps us avoid triggering PEM. Pacing means adjusting your life to stay within your 'Energy Envelope' as much as possible. Pacing involves: Prioritising what to spend energy on - and choosing which activities to reduce or drop altogether (this may include making life-changing decisions such as reducing employment, retiring, or dropping out of education). Changing the way chosen activities are done so they require less energy (this may include use of mobility aids). Breaking activities down into short bursts. Interspersing activity with rest (physical, cognitive & sensory rest - including rest from screens). Aiming for a balance of necessary activities and pleasurable activities. Creating (usually) safe and energy-efficient routines for regular necessary tasks (this helps reduce cognitive load). Stopping before symptoms increase and taking pre-emptive rest (some patients experience subtle cues when getting close to exceeding their Energy Envelope but many don't so they need to be proactive). Pacing sounds simple but it is not easy to put into practice, and it is individual to you. Be kind to yourself as you cope with daily demands and as you learn about your energy envelope. When exploring what you can manage, it can be useful to keep an 'activity and symptom diary' for a few weeks to see if you can identify any patterns, early warning signs and triggers which could help to reduce PEM episodes. You might find our diary template useful to do this. Wearable Biometric Devices: Some people find using a wearable activity tracker helpful for completing their activity diary, and for keeping steps or heart rate under a certain level. Although a tracker does not measure cognitive or emotional activity, it can help you recognise activities and tasks where your heart is elevated (meaning you are using more energy or under more stress). A good basic activity tracker is the Xiaomi Smart Band and we have some of these available for loan. The Polar H10 HR strap is recommended if you wish to monitor Heart Rate Variability. Further reading: To find out more about pacing, we recommend these resources from Emerge Australia : Introduction to the 'Stop.Rest.Pace ' approach. Two-page Pacing handout which provides a 4-step approach. Five-page handout on Pacing with a Heart Rate Monitor to help determine your anaerobic threshold and energy envelope. ME Support - NZ also has an eight-page Basics of Pacing handout in their Long Covid Support Tool . We also recommend these resources from M.E. Awareness NZ: An Explanation of PEM for people with ME article The Art and Science of Pacing for ME article Articles about Heart Rate Variability: One-page HRV handout from Bateman Horne Centre What is Heart Rate Variability? , Elite HRV Lifehacks for ME/CFS Visit our Lifehacks section for some tips and tricks for managing your daily activities. Practical Supports Visit our Practical Supports section for some other ideas for finding easier ways to do things, so that you can more often live within your energy envelope. Suggestions include using mobility aids and energy saving approaches. Safely exploring exercise When you live with a broken energy system, you need to a pproach exercise as ‘movement’ for your health and wellbeing, rather than ‘exercise’ to improve fitness. We have a few presentations on this topic that you may wish to watch: Safely exploring 'exercise' or movement when you have ME/CFS Rachel Sullivan, Clinical Exercise Physiologist, covers the dangers and recommendations. Analeptic restorative activity in ME/CFS Catherine George, Physiotherapist, explains how to improve functional strength and flexibility. The following organisations provide guidance for safe exercise: Physios for ME (UK-based) Workwell Foundation ( USA)

Many people living with ME/CFS live in permanent lockdown. When you move out of lockdown - and get back into a fulfilling life with a variety of choices and activities - we ask you to remember those that will stay in lockdown because they have ME/CFS. < Back ‘Years in Lockdown’ video for International ME Awareness Day, 12th May 2020 11 May 2020 Many people living with ME/CFS live in permanent lockdown. When you move out of lockdown - and get back into a fulfilling life with a variety of choices and activities - we ask you to remember those that will stay in lockdown because they have ME/CFS. For ME Awareness Day 2020 we prepared a short 2.5 minute video to highlight that many people living with ME/CFS live in permanent lockdown. When you move out of lockdown - and get back into a fulfilling life with a variety of choices and activities - we ask you to remember those who will stay in lockdown because they have ME/CFS.” https://youtu.be/vuRrh7NiknQ Previous Next

Health NZ has acknowledged that ME/CFS is a debilitating, long-term illness in the new Health Conditions section on their website. < Back New Health Information page for ME/CFS from Health NZ 22 Sept 2025 Health NZ has acknowledged that ME/CFS is a debilitating, long-term illness in the new Health Conditions section on their website. The Health Conditions pages are intended for the public to provide introductory information about health conditions and their causes, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatments. For Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Health NZ highlights the key symptoms, the diagnostic criteria in use in New Health NZ has acknowledged that ME/CFS is a debilitating, long-term illness in the new Health Conditions section on their website. For Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Health NZ highlights the key symptoms, the diagnostic criteria in use in New Zealand, the need to pace your activity to avoid triggering Post Exertional Malaise, and more. You can read the information and share it with whānau from here: https://info.health.nz/conditions-treatments/brain-and-nerves/chronic-fatigue-syndrome It’s worth mentioning that GPs have access to more extensive clinical guidance for ME/CFS on Health NZ’s Health Pathways website for doctors. The Health Pathways for ME/CFS was updated and extended in February 2025, so do ask your GP if they have read the guidance for ME/CFS on Health Pathways recently. Previous Next

Announcing updated guidance for clinicians in Canterbury and West Coast from Health NZ. We encourage health professionals who have access to HealthPathways to become familiar with the extended guidance for diagnosis, treatment and management of this debilitating condition. < Back New clinical guidance for ME/CFS on HealthPathways 12 May 2025 Announcing updated guidance for clinicians in Canterbury and West Coast from Health NZ. We encourage health professionals who have access to HealthPathways to become familiar with the extended guidance for diagnosis, treatment and management of this debilitating condition. 'HealthPathways' is an online system from Health NZ that GPs log into to view best-practice clinical advice for assessing and managing a wide range of health conditions and concerns. There is often standardised national content for a topic, with each region then providing local information to reflect local supports and services on the regions own view of the HealthPathways. We are excited to announce that the HealthPathways team published updated guidance for #MECFS (#MyalgicEncephalomyelitis / #ChronicFatigueSyndrome ) on the Canterbury Community HealthPathways website on 12th March 2025. This information is also available to GPs on the West Coast of NZ. The pathway includes current evidence-based best-practice clinical advice for health professionals. The update includes: • More information on criteria to help with diagnosis. • More information about assessing and supporting patients with severe ME/CFS. • Extended management guidance for specific symptoms. We encourage health professionals who have access to HealthPathways to become familiar with the extended guidance for diagnosis, treatment and management of this debilitating condition. Link: https://canterbury.communityhealthpathways.org/44978.htm Please reach out to MECFS Canterbury to access the latest research summaries and other guidance, or to assist you in other ways. ____________________________ 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. Click on this link to view and download the letter in our google drive... https://drive.google.com/file/d/19hkC_DkT4-7C0y2ALhgFFauTf9LZ6DR-/view?usp=drive_link ___________________________ FURTHER READING: To find out more, we recommend: ✦ For patients: www.healthinfo.org.nz/Chronic-fatigue-syndrome-CFS.htm ✦ Guidance from us: https://www.mecfscanterbury.nz/living-with-me-cfs ✦ CDC (USA): https://www.cdc.gov/me-cfs/symptoms-diagnosis/symptoms.html ✦ NICE (UK): https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng206 ✦ Mayo Clinic (USA): https://www.mayoclinicproceedings.org/article/s0025-6196(23)00402-0/fulltext ___________________________ DISCLAIMER: Please note that MECFS Canterbury does not recommend any treatments. 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. MECFS Canterbury is not responsible for the accuracy of content that we link to. The inclusion of such links does not imply endorsement by MECFS Canterbury. Previous Next

Radical Rest Challenge - Nominate a friend or two (or yourself) < Back Give-a-little Day 2nd December 2025 19 Nov 2025 Radical Rest Challenge - Nominate a friend or two (or yourself) This Give-a-Little day, we’re inviting our extended community to slow down... Radically! People living with ME/CFS and Long Covid don’t get to choose to rest. It’s not self care... it’s survival. For many people with ME/CFS, especially the approximately 25% living with Severe ME/CFS, even seemingly small activities cause debilitating symptoms. With a broken energy system at a cellular level, it is critical to #StopRestPace and #PlanPacePrioritise to stabilise symptoms and avoid reducing functionality further. So here’s our #RadicalRestChallenge challenge: ✦ Nominate a friend or two (or yourself) ✦ Radically Rest for 25 minutes – This means no screens, no distractions, just full rest with eyes closed. ✦ Donate $10 to support people in our community living with ME/CFS and Long Covid. If you try the #RadicalRestChallenge but can’t make it through the full 25 minutes that’s ok, It’s harder than it sounds! For every minute you can’t complete, add $1 per minute to your give-a-little donation total. It’s a lighthearted challenge with a serious message: for people with ME/CFS, rest is not optional... it’s essential! Let’s show up for those who can’t - by resting with them or donating for them. ✦ Date: Tuesday 2 nd December 2025 ✦ Where: Visit our give-a-little page https://givealittle.co.nz/org/mecfs-group-canterbury-inc ✦ Challenge: #RadicalRestChallenge #GiveALittleDay Every dollar and every moment of awareness makes a difference. Haven't heard the term before? What is Radical Rest? It means complete, uninterrupted rest. No screens, no conversations, no stimulation. People often opt for earplugs and an eye mask. It's a level of stillness that people with ME/CFS rely on to prevent worsening symptoms and to allow their bodies to try and maintain baseline. Download our Radical Rest Challenge poster to share with others. Previous Next

Crash Wear is a collection designed with the ME/CFS community at heart - whether you live with it, care for someone who does, or advocate for awareness. Wear your story. Support your community. < Back Launch of our Crash Wear merch range 18 Jul 2025 Crash Wear is a collection designed with the ME/CFS community at heart - whether you live with it, care for someone who does, or advocate for awareness. Wear your story. Support your community. We're so excited to launch our official ME/CFS Canterbury merch range! Crash Wear is a collection designed with the ME/CFS community at heart - whether you live with it, care for someone who does, or advocate for awareness. From soft, sensory-friendly loungewear to bold minimalist accessories, every piece makes a quiet but powerful statement. Whether you're pacing in a hoodie, resting with a cup of tea, or advocating from bed with a statement pillowcase, each item helps support our local work for people with ME/CFS and Long Covid right here in Canterbury and West Coast. We receive a small amount from every sale, and 100% of that goes directly to our advocacy, support, and awareness efforts. So, when you buy something, you're helping to make a real difference. Crash Wear - made to be lived in, rested in, and seen in. Wear your story. Support your community. https://mecfscanterbury.digitees.co.nz/ Previous Next