More Messages of Hope and Solidarity for 2025

Jan 31, 2025

Credit and thanks to Géza Sallai and the Corbenic Poetry Path, Perthshire for granting permission to The Red Tree and ME to use this image (Photographer: Al Macdonald)

The Red Tree, by the internationally acclaimed artist, author, and Oscar-winning filmmaker, Shaun Tan, tells the story of a young girl who encounters loss, uncertainty, isolation, disappointment, suffering, indifference and oppression due to a series of distressing experiences. Through her struggles, there is the hopeful reminder of a small red leaf on each page and, at the end of the book, a vivid symbol of promise.

Shaun Tan kindly granted permission for me to use some of his images for The Red Tree and ME project. I previously reflected about how this book has inspired me professionally as a psychologist and personally as a carer for my daughter who has Severe Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME).

At the end of 2024, in search of ‘red leaves’ for the new year, I reached out to dedicated ME and Long COVID scientists, clinicians and advocates. Words of hope, compassion, and solidarity came flooding in from across the globe. These were shared on New Year’s Eve to offer some words of comfort and hope at an especially difficult time of year for so many. More messages of hope have since been received which I am again delighted to share with you.

People with ME and their carers have long awaited the ‘spring’ of treatments and cures and continue to campaign for patient safety and proper funding for research (#ThereforME). In the meantime. may these messages of solidarity and promises of continued scientific endeavour generate some hope.

ME/CFS is no more an enigmatic disease for which therapeutic concepts are missing. Since the causes for the assumed disturbances in mitochondrial function are treatable by appropriate agents, there is a good chance of novel highly efficacious drugs and even healing for this frequent and most debilitating disease. — Professor Carmen Scheibenbogen

Sending positive energy. We know you are suffering and will continue to fight for you. — Dr Lucinda Bateman

As we step into 2025, I want to take a moment to acknowledge your experience. Living with ME/CFS is an immense challenge, one that often goes unseen and misunderstood. But please know this: You are not forgotten. Research is advancing. Awareness is growing. More clinicians are recognizing the complexity of ME/CFS, and more scientists are dedicating their work to understanding its causes and treatments. We are learning from you—your experiences, your resilience, your insight—and that knowledge is shaping the future of care. Your voice matters, your experience matters, and you are not alone in this fight. Please hold onto hope. A better future is coming, and we are walking this path with you. With respect and commitment, — Dr Melanie Hoppers

You are not alone. Researchers around the world are working tirelessly to uncover the causes of this illness and develop effective treatments. Medical professionals are being educated to better understand and support those with ME/CFS, ensuring more compassionate and informed care. Progress may feel slow, but hope is on the horizon. Your experiences matter, and science is moving forward to bring the answers and relief you deserve. Stay strong—you are seen, believed, and never forgotten. — Tahlia Ruschioni

Dear family As one of you- and as someone fighting for answers for you- I have this to say. All of you- including those confined to their beds in the dark, and those who are no longer with us- are absolute heroes. You are a miracle. Your existence is resistance. When these illnesses are finally cracked, people will wonder how we were even alive whilst being so sick. I know that some days can feel like torture, and I know that sometimes it seems that there is no hope. However, please hang on. Recognition is growing, treatments are emerging, and colleagues of mine are working day and night to get you the answers and the help you so deserve. Better days are nearer than they ever have been. — Dr Asad Khan

veryone deserves good healthcare and people with ME deserve the best of that. I will continue to support and advocate for effective, safe management to the best of my ability in my spheres of influence. — Dr Clare Rayner

Being a researcher, I fully understand the daily life of people suffering from ME and/or long COVID. I would take this opportunity to tell everyone suffering from one of these diseases that you are not alone or not forgotten. We have dedicated our lives to solving the mystery behind these diseases, and we will not stop till we bring life back to most of you. Keep smiling, keep hoping, and keep dreaming for a healthy future. Together, we will fulfill these dreams. — Dr Bhupesh Prusty

We have observed a consistent rise in positive anecdotal evidence, and we eagerly anticipate completing the necessary clinical trials in 2025 to potentially validate key aspects of our intricate disease modelling, early findings, and associated intervention protocol. As an individual who once endured severe ME/CFS and subsequently experienced nearly three decades of long-term remission, I have dedicated the past five years, without any formal financial support, to constructing a comprehensive map of the complexities of ME/CFS, Long COVID, and Post-Vaccine Syndrome. Throughout this journey, I have remained steadfast in my commitment to supporting the community through ongoing patient advocacy efforts. The community has reciprocated this support in numerous ways, including providing valuable data and offering unique and personal assistance, for which I am eternally grateful. Please maintain hope. You are not being overlooked. A growing number of individuals have already experienced substantial improvements by utilising this early work. — Joshua Leisk

To everyone suffering from ME/CFS and Long Covid, YOU ARE NOT ALONE. Scientists like me and many others will keep fighting to help identify and understand the causes of these illnesses. We are together and will work even harder in 2025. — Dr Danielle Beckman

Coming Soon… One Red Leaf at a Time

Image: Lou Macdonald, Landscape Artist and Al Macdonald, Photographer

While I was busy collecting 'red leaves' from some of the giants of the ME scientific community, The Red Leaf Creative Collaborative was forming - a small group of patients, carers and allies who have been inspired by The Red Tree and ME and the messages of hope and solidarity.

I am really excited to announce that over the coming weeks, The Red Tree and ME will be sharing some of their creative expressions as we prepare to launch an international art project: ‘One Red Leaf at a Time’

Wishing you strength for today and hope for tomorrow - One Red Leaf at a Time.

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