Time for unrest
From August 2017 before seeing Unrest
I cannot wait to see this film and for the world to get a tiny glimpse into the reality that millions of people around the world bravely face each and every day. I wholeheartedly hope this creates some positive changes - at the very least in people's understanding of ME/CFS - but more importantly in giving visibility to the invisible. It's vital to show the magnitude of the negligence sufferers are subjected to and the undeniable need for a complete upheaval in the approaches towards research, appropriate treatment plans and duty of care from medical professionals.
People living with ME are far from victims, they are true survivors. Strong, determined, resilient, positive, kind, funny, brilliant people with so much to offer. I hope the personal stories shown in this film make it painstakingly obvious for the world to see that ME is not an illness for the "lazy" and for those who have chosen to give up on life. It's an illness that catastrophically changes life as we know it, but never stops our desire for life regardless of how intensely it prohibits our physical and cognitive capabilities. It can never destroy our hopes and dreams to live fully, boldly, kindly and passionately.
Here's hoping this film will be the catalyst in creating positive and proactive change 🤞🏻
From October 2017 after watching Unrest
Last night I finally watched a screening of the incredible 'unrest' documentary. I find cinemas typically heighten my symptoms with sensory overload so having the opportunity to watch this at home, alone, at a controlled volume and with a shit load of tissues (my god will you need them 😭) was the right thing for me.
Words cannot describe how incredibly grateful I am to Jen and everyone who made this film possible, for giving a voice to the invisible and subsequently challenging public perception (or lack there of) of M.E.
If anyone in your life suffers with M.E or a similarly debilitating condition, I cannot urge you enough to watch this movie whenever you get the time....please do try to make the time. It will be available on ITunes on 31st October. If you find it difficult to empathise, to find the right words to say or to be a useful support to someone in this predicament, you will really benefit from taking a couple of hours of your time to sit still and have a peek through the looking glass into something that is incessantly overlooked and so wildly misunderstood. It will give you a true depiction of what you don't see when we disappear, how rapidly our symptoms can change, what's really happening when a friend says they're "not too good at the minute" and the brutality of this illness as it rages like thunder causing everything in its path to crash.
This film doesn't sugar coat. It was utterly harrowing to watch at times, broke my heart throughout but was endlessly inspiring, uplifting (in a bitter sweet kind of way) and filled with an abundance of love. Jen and Omar's relationship is beyond beautiful.
It left me feeling emotionally drained but surging with heart hope that this will be a real catalyst for positive change. I hope the next generation of doctors watch this movie and can step up and provide the appropriate care that currently rarely exists.
It was amazing to see some familiar faces popping up and sharing their truth, you all are absolute bad ass survivors. Seeing incredible people and not just hearing about faceless statistics is vital.
Watch unrest today: https://www.unrest.film/watch
#timeforunrest
