Congratulations to MassME Board Member Ronald Belluso on his promotion to Partner at Keches Law Group!  

He was also elected to the Executive Board of Directors to NOSSCR (National Organization of Social Security Disability Claims Reps) First Circuit. 

Attorney Belluso manages Keches Law Group’s busy Social Security Disability department. He represents injured workers in all phases of litigation including Conciliations, Conferences, and Hearings before Administrative Law Judges at the Department of Industrial Accidents. Attorney Belluso has the unique advantage of having represented clients in Social Security Disability hearings on a national level. This experience has allowed him to successfully litigate claims before Administrative Law Judges in 48 states.

In September 2022, Attorney Belluso was elected to represent the First Circuit to the National Organization of Social Security Claimant’s Representatives (NOSSCR) as a member of its Board of Directors, advocating for improvements to Social Security Disability for both disabled and attorney representatives.

Attorney Belluso was born in Warwick, Rhode Island, and is a graduate of the Roger Williams University School of Law. During law school, he served as both a research and teaching assistant. In addition, Attorney Belluso has pro bono experience helping low-income tenants navigate housing laws while working at Rhode Island Legal Services in Providence, Rhode Island.
Attorney Belluso is a member of the Massachusetts Bar Association and the National Organization of Social Security Claimant’s Representatives (NOSSCR).

To read more about Attorney Belluso, click here. 

Pacing for PEM: An OT and PT perspective on what it is and how you can use pacing strategies in your daily life

Sunday, February 19, 2023, 4:00 P.M. ET

During the January Sunday Conversations meeting, journalist and author Ryan Prior and Long COVID advocate Cynthia Adinig presented selected readings from Ryan’s new book, The Long Haul: Solving the Puzzle of the Pandemic’s Long Haulers and How They Are Changing Healthcare Forever.

Rivka Solomon, long-time ME/LC advocate and MassME member, hosted the meeting. Following the readings, Ryan and Cynthia responded to questions from Rivka and from the audience.

The video is now available.

For your convenience, the video has been broken into chapters, which can be shown by hovering over the seek bar or by expanding the video description.

The videos, slides, and other resources from past events are available on the Sunday Conversations Page.

Young Adult Support Group for those with ME/CFS, FM, Lyme, Long Covid, and Chronic Illness

Tuesday, February 7th, at 3:30 P.M. ET

Saturday, February 18th, at 10:30 A.M. ET

This drop-in Virtual Support Group is interactive and provides a safe space for patients to share stories and experiences, ask questions, and offer one another support.

The group is run by Kerry Lang, LMHC. Kerry is a MA licensed mental health counselor with experience leading groups and workshops for those with chronic illness, specifically those with Lyme disease, and more recently Long COVID and ME/CFS.

Please Note: Due to professional licensing requirements, we are only able to offer this program to Massachusetts residents.

What age is considered Young Adult?
Anyone over the age of 18 who self-identifies as a young adult, either through age or via the life challenges typically experienced by this population. Relevant topics of this group are challenges with college/higher education, starting a career, housing challenges, dating and/or starting a family, and social challenges.

You are welcome to register for one or both sessions. These groups are free for members, with any donations to offset costs welcome. We ask non-members to contribute a $10 fee for each session. A contribution of $25 or more will include annual membership.

Advocacy Week 2023 -- Monday, April 17th to Friday, April 21st

Solve ME is gearing up for Advocacy Week 2023!  

The format is different this year with in person visits with the offices of US Senators on Tuesday, April 18th and virtual visits with US Representatives on Thursday, April 20th.

Monday, April 17th is a training day, Wednesday, April 19th is social media advocacy day and Friday, April 21st is the EMPower symposium.

Learn more here, sign up for in person meetings here (NOTE: requires travel to Washington, DC), and sign up for virtual meetings on Zoom here. Deadline to register is March 27th.

Understanding the Behavioral and Medical Impact of Long Covid: An Empirical Guide to Assessment and Treatment of Post-Acute Sequelae of SARS-CoV2 Infection, by Leonard Jason and Charles Lapp.

Two esteemed experts on ME/CFS have authored a new book that offers a comprehensive look at Long Covid intended for researchers clinicians and academicians.

Details on the book can be found here.  Use code EFL01 to save 20% on your pre-order!

Landmark Paper Published in Nature

Long COVID: major findings, mechanisms and recommendations

We recommend reading (or at least skimming) this comprehensive review of Long Covid symptoms, pathology, its relationship to ME/CFS, and recommendations for mitigating its medical, social, and economic consequences. 

Dysautonomia Videos

Thank you to member Lisa L., who made our Patient Services team aware of this wonderful collection of informative videos from the Dysautonomia Support Network.

New Guide: Accommodating University Students with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis / Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS)

#MEAction has posted a short guide about accommodations for university students with ME/CFS  (or Long COVID) that highlights steps that faculty, staff, and administrative professionals can take to provide support and accommodations for students afflicted with this highly debilitating disease.

This guide is a summary of a longer article by Chu et al. in the journal Work, written for occupational therapists, with more details about the background of ME/CFS and the reasons for specific accommodations.

Would you like to be featured in a Member Sportlight?

We feature patients, caregivers, and those who help people who live with ME/CFS and FM. 

If you would like to share your story, please email us. We would love to hear from you!