News
In Memoriam: Elizabeth (Libby) Potter and Heather Colman-McGill
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- Last Updated: 15 January 2020 15 January 2020
We are deeply saddened to bring you news of two deaths in our Massachusetts ME/CFS community: Elizabeth (Libby) Potter and Heather Colman-McGill.
Read more: In Memoriam: Elizabeth (Libby) Potter and Heather Colman-McGill
Sunday Conversations - March 20, 2022
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- Last Updated: 28 April 2022 28 April 2022
"A Functional Medicine Approach to Complex, Chronic Illnesses”
Presented by Andrew Lenhardt, M.D.
The presentation is relevant to ME/CFS, Fibromyalgia, Long Covid and Chronic Lyme Disease.
Sunday, March 20, 2022, 4 p.m. ET – Please join us!
Andrew Lenhardt, M.D., is a board-certified family doctor with a background in functional and integrative medicine. He has long experience treating people with complex, chronic diseases. He practices in Beverly, MA.
He is the author of two books: The Best of Both Worlds and Emotional Intelligence in a Complex World. Dr. Lenhardt is on the faculty of Tufts Medical School, Endicott College and Yale University and has been teaching medical students and nurse practitioner students for over 15 years. He has developed the algorithms used for the RootFinder tool at Complex Health Solutions. In his personal life, he is married with three sons and two Pomeranians. His interests include pickleball, bridge and exotic travel.
Dr. Lenhardt presented his approach to evaluating and treating patients with complex, chronic diseases.
This is a virtual presentation via Zoom.
Video links:
Playlist: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLz31KwoUbYrEBZUVzD6OZb9GXJqoRWbPJ
Full event: https://youtu.be/21AwgCUT8fE
Part 1 - Intro to Functional Medicine: https://youtu.be/4oW8_YBL1ds
Part 2 - Patient Perspective: https://youtu.be/z6V1r1SWNBo
Part 3 - Q&A: https://youtu.be/i55KER2y06s
Annual Event 10/26/2019 -- Dr. Michael VanElzakker
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- Last Updated: 19 October 2019 19 October 2019
Registration is now open for our Annual Event on Saturday, October 26th, 2019 from 1 to 4 pm at Newton-Wellesley Hospital, featuring Dr. Michael VanElzakker of MGH/Harvard Medical School. Please join us for a brief business meeting, a research presentation by Dr. VanElzakker, an update on the Harvard ME/CFS Collaboration, and a chance to meet fellow members of the Association. We look forward to seeing you! Register here.
Investigating ME/CFS at the intersection of the nervous and immune systems
Dr. Michael VanElzakker of MGH/Harvard Medical School
When: Saturday, October 26th, 2019 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM
Doors open at 12:30 p.m. for check-in
Location:
Shipley Auditorium, Bowles Conference Center
Newton Wellesley Hospital
2014 Washington St.
Newton, MA 02462
Park in the lot near the West (Main) Entrance. Directions from the parking areas to the Auditorium can be found here.
Join or renew your membership at the event! This program is open to the public and free to members of the Association, journalists, researchers and health care professionals; $15 voluntary donation for non-members.
Michael VanElzakker, PhD is a research fellow in the neurotherapeutics division of Massachusetts General Hospital / Harvard Medical School.
Dr. VanElzakker will discuss some challenges and opportunities in using brain scans to study communication between the immune and nervous systems. He will describe two ongoing studies that seek to elucidate autonomic dysfunction and possible neuroinflammation in ME/CFS. He will also give an update on the OMF-funded Harvard ME/CFS Collaboration.
Download the event flyer here! Please distribute widely.
Breaking News: Letter to Congress about Long COVID and Need for Research
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- Last Updated: 05 December 2020 05 December 2020
MassME joined the Solve ME/CFS Initiative and 18 other leading chronic disease stakeholders in sending a powerful letter urging Congress to fund millions of dollars in new National Institutes of Health (NIH) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) research into the post-viral health complications for long-term COVID-19 (Long COVID) survivors. According to Dr. Anthony Fauci, roughly 2.6 million Americans could be temporarily or permanently disabled by Long COVID symptoms. Congress must act now and fund new research into the health needs of this rapidly growing patient population.
Sunday Conversations - February 2022, Applying for Social Security Disability
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- Last Updated: 28 November 2022 28 November 2022
"Applying for Social Security Disability Benefits if You Have ME/CFS or Fibromyalgia”
The presentation is also relevant to Long Covid and Chronic Lyme Disease.
Sunday, February 20, 2022, 4 p.m. ET
The Conversation discusses when and how to apply for benefits, qualification requirements, the application process, and how to medically-document your disability – as well as how to optimize your chances for approval.
An experienced disability and worker’s compensation attorney discusses the role of an attorney in the disability process and the need for legal representation at hearings. A parent of an ME/CFS patient will discuss how he assisted his daughter win her benefits.
Links for this program
Playlist
Full event video
Part 1: Applying for Disability
Part 2: Patient Experience
Part 3: An Attorney's Role
Part 4: Q&A
Your Questions Answered! (from Chat)
Featured speakers
Atty. Ron Belluso, attorney specializing in disability at Keches Law Group, and a MassME Board member. Ron has successfully represented many ME/CFS and other disabled patients through the disability process and at Administrative Hearings and is a member of the National Organization of Social Security Claimant’s Representatives (NOSSCR).
Ken Casanova, MassME member and Disability Counselor. Ken is the primary author of the Association’s Disability Handbook, “How to Apply for Social Security if You Have ME/CFS,” and has guided nearly 100 people through the disability process over the years. He has been the Association's president twice, and has been a social worker, community organizer, and legislative advocate.
Bob Robitaille, MassME member and volunteer. Bob assisted his daughter win her Disability benefits and now provides guidance to others as a member of our Patient Services team.
Moderator: Karin Dove, MassME Patient Services Volunteer