Empty shoes

Author:

A few years after getting ill, I discovered that I can write interesting stories about things that happen inside or close to my home: for instance, about birds or cats visiting our garden (preferably not at the same time), books, music, or even what we had for dinner. This time it is about my shoes, my empty shoes. Who needs shoes while lying on the sofa, anyway?
And that is exactly the point of the campaign #MillionsMissing. A pair of empty shoes is a metaphor for all the things people with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (M.E.) are missing… missing from their careers, schools, social lives and families due to the debilitating symptoms of the disease. On Wednesday, May 25, ME/CFS patients, caregivers and advocates in twelve locations around the world gathered for a global day of action to demand research, treatment and an end to the stigma of ME. And on September 27, it is time for round two for this campaign to get even more attention. Shoes from people with M.E. will fill the pavement as a silent protest.
The empty shoes are, I think, a brilliant symbol of the freedom we lack. It makes me think about the things I miss out on, and those are – to be honest – things I don’t want to think about too often. Missing out on having a job, doing my own grocery shopping, interacting with people, having dinner with my partner, visiting a museum or art centre, is challenging. I think about all those places my shoes and I went. What I’m missing is that freedom that I had once, a decade ago.
On September 27, in the Netherlands, the #MillionsMissing campaign will be located in The Hague, the political centre of our country. I can only hope that a high profile politician — a billionaire would be nice as well! — is touched by this gesture and understands the need for research. Someone who is willing to make an effort and, through this campaign and my empty shoes, appreciate their own shoes, appreciate their shoes for not being empty, and appreciate their own freedom.

READ MORE

Facebook
Twitter
WhatsApp
Email

2 thoughts on “Empty shoes”

  1. Maybe if you are protesting in The Hague you can have some signs saying “freedom for the sick” and some other things making this a human rights issue. Just a thought.

  2. Eric Harrington PhD DPH

    I agree, I also respectfully recommend a more strategic/strategized, concise (clear), exacting and impactful representation and demonstration at this respective event.

Comments are closed.

Latest News

Image features newspappers folder up and stacked together vertically. There is a red box in the center that has the words, Why We Keep Telling the Story of ME to the Press in white and the #MEAction logo in the righhand corner of the box.

Why We Keep Telling the Story of ME to the Press

Our press work continues to drum a strong beat as we tell the story of ME everyday to the media. We will continue to fight for our community’s decades of expertise living with, treating and researching ME to be heard, and integrated into our government’s Long COVID response. We refused to be erased from the

Read More »
the words " #MillionsMissing 2023: Scotland calls for healthcare education" appear in white on a red-muted background with the #MEAction Scotland UK logo in the bottom right hand corner.

#MillionsMissing 2023: Scotland calls for healthcare education

This year, #MEAction Scotland’s #MillionsMissing campaign focussed on raising awareness of the reality of living with ME and called for education and training for healthcare professionals to improve support for people with ME across Scotland. Ahead of ME Awareness week, we put out a call, alongside #MEAction UK, to ask members of the ME community

Read More »

Help keep our work going

We rely on donations from people like you to keep fighting for equality for people with ME.

Donate

Get actions alerts and news direct to your inbox

You can choose what you want to be kept up to date on.

Subscribe
Scroll to Top