Welcome to the website of the Associated New Zealand ME Society (ANZMES), serving New Zealanders with Myalgic Encephalopathy / Chronic Fatigue Syndrome since 1980.

ANZMES is proactive and busy serving existing members and assisting those who are newly diagnosed, as well as helping those who may only suspect they are sufferers.

ME (Myalgic Encephalopathy) is a debilitating disease that can affect  anyone. In New Zealand, it is estimated that there are around 20,000 sufferers.  It is thought to afflict around 150,000 in the UK, and over one million in the US. The economic cost to each family with a sufferer has been estimated to be in the region of NZ$30-40,000 per year.

Medical definitions of the condition vary, but the following elements are considered common:

ANZMES undertakes a wide range of functions for members including:

Click here to read a story of an ME sufferer.

There is a network of support groups throughout New Zealand, and ANZMES is the national body. We believe that both local support and national coordination is necessary.

On this website, you will find a range of useful information for sufferers, caregivers, friends and medical professionals. It is an evolving site however, so please visit again. If you have a suggestion to make please contact one of the people on the Contacts page.

ANZMES is one of the oldest ME associations in the world. In 2005, we celebrated our 25th anniversary! We are looking forward to the next 25 years, so this is a great time to join this active organisation.

The logo in the top left corner of this page symbolises the benefit that a national organisation and local support groups can provide to sufferers. The albatross takes advantage of great updrafts of warm air to soar very high, and this is the aim of our group.

LATEST NEWS

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ROS VALLINGS AWARD

ANZMES is proud to

    acknowledge

  Dr Ros Vallings

    award in the

     New Years

       Honours.

       To read more

            click here

        AWARD

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MEETING NOTICES

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Dr ROS VALLINGS

will be speaking

At a number of locations  following her attendance at a conference in Cambridge UK

For more details click HERE

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These events are advertised for your information. ANZMES does not necessarily support the views of their organisers

CFS/ME in the 
New York Times

A recent article on CFS/ME appeared in the New York Times. It highlighted the progress made by the scientific and patient communities in coming to understand the condition and gaining its acceptance into the medical and general communities. Click here to go to the New York Times' website to read the article.

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Report from the 8th IACFS Conference

Dr Ros Vallings attended this international conference on CFS research with the assistance of ANZMES. She reports that huge progress is being made towards understanding CFS/ME. Her excellent report can be read here. A shorter and less detailed account of the same conference written by Dr David Bell can be found here.

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If you are involved in a ME Awareness Day event, please write to us so we can help you publicise it.