July 15, 2020

Chris Cuomo ℅ CNN Press Room 30 Hudson Yards, Fl 21 New York, NY 10001

Thank you for sharing your health journey

Dear Mr. Cuomo,

I reluctantly admit I haven’t been watching much TV news lately. Sometimes, the news is just too much to bear. My sense of dread is compounded by my nearly 12 year struggle as caregiver for a loved one with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis, also called Chronic Fatigue Syndrome or ME/CFS. There are times when it’s really hard to keep going. The world feels exceptionally dark right now.

And yet, last night you gave me hope. And, for that I am in your debt.

During your Tuesday segment, you opened up about your personal experiences and challenging health journey since contracting COVID-19. You courageously shared your personal and firsthand concerns related to ME/CFS, intimately described the symptoms of the post-viral disease, and illustrated their very real impacts on daily life. As a result, you gave a voice to COVID-19 “long haulers” who live in fear of an uncertain future, terrified that they may never recover their health. You even used the appropriate name of the disease, ME—a rare acknowledgement by a national news outlet.

By sharing your own journey, you lent a trusted, credible voice of reassurance and validation, for so many, that this experience is real. The segment may have been only a few minutes, but you spoke volumes to a community that faces daily hardships. In short, you told millions of people with ME/CFS, and those with lasting COVID-19 symptoms, that they aren’t alone or crazy.

Overnight, the ME/CFS community was electrified by your comments. I wanted to thank you for the hope you’ve given to so many, including myself. This community has spent decades working to complete exhaustion to communicate accurate and helpful information about this complex and misunderstood disease. I hope you will continue to be a trusted and valuable source of information on this vital subject. Please know you can always call upon me or the Solve ME/CFS Initiative (SolveMe.org) for any information you need.

ME/CFS is one of the hardest journeys I’ve ever experienced and I want you to know the positive impact you’ve had on not only my life, but many others. Thank you for helping to shine a light on this struggle and educate others about the life-altering risks COVID-19 presents.

With heartfelt gratitude,

www.SolveCFS.org 350 N Glendale Ave, Suite B, #368, Glendale, CA 91206