The Sun 9.12.08Page 17

[Guest guest]

Hi

Crappy Headline the

Sun link http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/article2018488.ece

Ref the above I have sent the following

to the reporter

Dear Ms Wheeler

I hope this mail is

only one of many that you receive with regards to your crappy headline to your

article

(The Sun Tues Dec 9 2008 page 17) regarding the death of Lynn Gilderdale, and

her mother being held for her murder. To call ME (Myalgic Ecephalomyelitis)

“Yuppie

Flu” is not only insulting to sufferers of the illness and their carers and

families, but also shows complete lack of knowledge and total ignorance of one

of the most devastating illnesses the world has known.

I speak with

experience as I have a daughter who suffers from ME and before becoming ill

myself have long campaigned for greater understanding during which time I have

had to put up with ignorance from the medical profession, the public and the

media. It has been a long battle but I and others have gained ground, taking

our campaign to the streets, to parliament, challenging the establishment and

the psychiatric profession, not being afraid to challenge the unknowing

experts. I have seen first hand the severely affected spoken with their carers

and parents, seen the hope in the eyes of the parent of a severely affected

sufferer as they have been part of a peoples organised campaign to help, a

campaign which the main groups who are willing to take the people money for

their cause were unwilling to back.

I have often used a

photo of Lynn and told her story at awareness exhibitions, which has had a

great impact on the public and increased their understanding, this has shown in

their willingness to contribute to research into the biological cause resulting

in thousands of pound being raised while the government and come up with

excuses and the Medical Research Council come up with nothing but crappy

excuses for denying this research much needed funding, despite the fact that

Research Foundations are coming up with irrefutable proof that ME is a physical

illness with a biological cause (defective genes) but still in the dark ages

when it comes to practical help from the medical establishment.

On one occasion when collecting

for money for research in a licensed premise I was asked by a member of the

public “is that where those lazy bastards are tired all the time?” my reply “no

mate, its where those poorly bastard are ill all the time”, and was said

looking him straight in the eyes, what happened next was amazing, instead of

throwing a punch or arguing he smiled and said “I believe you”, giving me all

the loose change in his pockets

The Sun’s Dr Carol

is also ignorant of the fact that ME can strike children as young as 5,

and can be passed on from generation to generation.

This is not the first

time I have challenged the Sun, as once when a reporter referred used the term

yuppie flu, I wrote to the editor in disgust, it was interesting to note that

the next time the Sun reported a tragedy resulting in the death of a mother and

son in a suicide pact, the term ME was used. Sadly it appears that through your

report the Sun has gone backwards instead of forwards as I feel any Editor

worth their salt and with even the briefest knowledge of how devastating ME is

would

not have allowed that headline but would have demanded it be changed severely

ill or a similar term.

There is one saving

grace though, if it can be called that, and that is the fact that you have not

had some celebrity supporter or other nonentity expert coming out with their

usual hot air crap, seeing it as a photo opportunity.

I would advise you and

Dr next time you talk or write about ME to use some common sense, which

is sadly missing in this instance, and consider the thoughts and feelings of

those who suffer from the illness you are writing about.

I trust next time you will

do this or pass the article to someone more capable and with greater knowledge

of ME and not take the illness back but move it and its needs forward. I would

also advise you to look at

what the rank and file are doing and give them some positive coverage, as it is

they who are in the real world and know what ME is about.

Yours sincerely

Trevor Wainwright