Simon Phillips of ME Research UK was our guest speaker this week. Simon has just joined ME Research UK as the Chief Executive Officer and brings a wealth of experience in commerce with work at Simply Food and Waterstones.

Simon first introduced the Members to the fact that this charity is Perth-based but has global connections. His role, as he sees it, is to make these facts more widely known. He explained that the chronic disease ME is a post exertional malaise expressed as extreme fatigue after any activity. Originally called Yuppie Flu, ME was recognised as an illness by the UN in 2002 and is said to now affect over 240,000 people in the UK and many millions worldwide.

The Perth headquarters is responsible for fund raising across the globe to support university projects into finding a cure for the illness known fully as Myalgic Encephalomyelitis or Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. Currently the funding supports forty-eight projects at universities across the world.  

In thanking Simon for his illuminating talk, Rotarian Tom Laurie was clear to point out how this illness was close to many in Perth and he wished Simon every success in expanding the charity’s work.