Carol Head, chief executive of Solve Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS), was named a 2017 "Health Hero" by O, the Oprah magazine. Head is a member of the UCLA CTSI's Patient Advocacy Board.
O cited Head's attempts to fight cuts in federal research funding for chronic fatigue syndrome, her support for a more legitimate-sounding name for the disorder, and her organization's public awareness campaign in New York's Times Square, where up to 1.5 million people saw a video about the disease.
According to Solve ME/CFS, Head was first affected by ME/CFS in the 1980s. Since being diagnosed, she has had more than 25 years of success in both the for-profit and non-profit sectors as a business owner, corporate executive, and advocate. In 2013 she became president and CEO of Solve ME/CFS, which raises awareness about ME/CFS and provides resources for diagnosis and research.
"We're all fatigued" is a response, O learned, that Head often hears from people. This reaction demonstrates a lack of awareness, even dismissiveness, that the disease causes acute illness. She went on to say, "They don't realize it's a debilitating condition affecting up to two and a half million Americans."
More information:
ME/CFS and Carol Head, visit Solve ME/CFS Initiative.
Image caption: Carol Head talking at an advisory committee meeting on Chronic Fatigue Syndrome in Washington, D.C., August 2015.
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