Courageous Deeds is a fundraiser challenging ten leaders with a passion for diversity and making a difference to head BACK TO SCHOOL for a day to raise awareness for young adults and teens with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) who have missed out on their youth and schooling due to this crippling and misunderstood illness.

Imagine this.

Remember a nasty virus that you've once had. The tiredness, headaches, nausea, weakness...

OK, now multiply that by five, and imagine the virus never went away. This is how 20,000 New Zealanders with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) live every day.

What is ME/CFS?

ME/CFS is a chronic illness causing incapacitating fatigue. It makes simple tasks (even taking a shower) make sufferers feel like they've run a marathon with a sack of rocks tied to their back!

It's often triggered by a viral infection (though there are a number of other causes). There is no known cure.

ME/CFS can strike anyone and deprives everyday New Zealanders of the things that are important to them - the ability to raise a family, study, relationships, travel, pursue a career, and be independent. The illness affects all facets of their lives. Research in New Zealand shows that ME/CFS affects people's lives as severely as Parkinson's disease and Multiple Sclerosis. Auckland has the largest number of ME/CFS sufferers of any city in New Zealand - estimated at over 6,000 in total.

Event creator, Michelle Teirney is Chief Financial Officer and Director Corporate Services for a large government organisation in Auckland, New Zealand and has been recovered from ME/CFS for over 20 years. The story of her missing youth was published on Linkedin in July 2016. You can read it here: https://lnkd.in/eXx4pqa

Michelle believes that leaders have an important responsibility to create a business world where difference of any kind: disability, race, religion, gender, sexual orientation is embraced as a normal and valuable part of society. She says “We owe anyone with a chronic illness the opportunity to participate in society for as long and fully as they can. No-one should experience social isolation”.

While she missed some of her important school years, she would like to encourage everyone to follow your dreams. “No matter what challenges you experience in life, it is never too late to follow your dreams and go back to school or get an education”.

With thanks to Manukau Institute of Technology, Faculty of Consumer Services for hosting the event.

Acknowledgement and thanks to Fulumoa Curtis Olomautu (a 2nd year Bachelor of Visual Arts student at Manukau Institute of Technology) for the amazing Courageous Deeds logo design.

Funds raised will go to support ME/CFS sufferers in the Auckland region.