Lives Interrupted: the Hidden Costs of Having a Neglected Illness
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Lives Interrupted seeks to illuminate the economic and other costs of having diseases like chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), fibromyalgia, postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), post-treatment Lyme disease, and long COVID. These diseases affect millions, typically receive little research funding, and, as a consequence have few good treatments available. Find out more about Lives Interrupted here.
All Stories
| Name: Anna | Years Ill: 6 |
| Location: Saint Paul, United States | |
| Former Occupation: Physical Therapist Assistant | |
| Former Activity Level (0-100): 100 | Current Activity Level (0-100): 20 |
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Total Projected Economic Losses For Years Not Worked:
$122,116 |
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Story: I became ill right as I graduated from a Physical Therapy Assistant program (2017). I remember th… |
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| Name: Elizabeth | Years Ill: 3 |
| Location: Wolfville, Canada | |
| Former Occupation: Retired | |
| Former Activity Level (0-100): 100 | Current Activity Level (0-100): 30 |
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Story: In early March 2020 I became ill but for a while continued with winter hiking, thinking this was … |
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| Name: Amy S. | Years Ill: 3 |
| Location: Cortlandt Manor, United States | |
| Former Occupation: Chief Program Officer | |
| Former Activity Level (0-100): 100 | Current Activity Level (0-100): 20 |
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Total Projected Economic Losses For Years Not Worked:
$171,707 |
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Story: I became symptomatic with COVID-19 on March 25, 2020; it started with shortness of breath, and fo… |
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| Name: Suzie B | Years Ill: 4 |
| Location: Vancouver, Canada | |
| Former Occupation: Film Production/Location Management | |
| Former Activity Level (0-100): 100 | Current Activity Level (0-100): 20 |
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Story: I developed ME after my first chemotherapy, immunotherapy treatment and radiotherapy for stage 4 … |
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| Name: Mima | Years Ill: 7 |
| Location: Phoenix, United States | |
| Former Occupation: Law Enforcement Detective | |
| Former Activity Level (0-100): 100 | Current Activity Level (0-100): 20 |
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Total Projected Economic Losses For Years Not Worked:
$225,913 |
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Story: In 1998 I travel to Phoenix, Arizona, where I was provided a full doctoral scholarship to study m… |
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| Name: Cparks | Years Ill: 28 |
| Location: Los Angeles, United States | |
| Former Occupation: Science teacher | |
| Former Activity Level (0-100): 100 | Current Activity Level (0-100): 30 |
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Story: I believe my ME/CFS started with a 20 month active EB infection when I was 19-21yo. I recovered t… |
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| Name: Cort | Years Ill: 42 |
| Location: Henderson, United States | |
| Former Occupation: Student | |
| Current Occupation: Owner of Health Rising | |
| Former Activity Level (0-100): 100 | Current Activity Level (0-100): 50 |
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Total Projected Economic Losses For Years Not Worked:
$783,738 |
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Story: Long ago and pretty far away I was an athletic student running through the redwood forests on the… |
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Lives Interrupted Sponsor
StudyME
Enroll in the OMF’s StudyME project and help bring about a cure for ME/CFS, fibromyalgia, POTS and long COVID.
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