Over the years, we’ve seen incredible pieces of art from people with ME. Many of these artworks move us, galvanize us, and let us into the inner world of the artist that we would otherwise never see. ME separates us from our lives and loved ones – from work, from parties, from basic errands like getting groceries. The covid-19 pandemic has forced many people indoors with us. And though a virtual #MillionsMissing is new to #MEAction as a whole, so many of you have only been able to participate online year after year. The art you share online is often the most thoughtful, surprising, and heart breaking form of protest we see.
Please share your art with us today! Use the hashtag #MillionsMissing today in a post on social media with your artwork!
To kick off the day, we would like to highlight three artists and three pieces that comprise the vast spectrum of the types of stories we tell, how we tell them, and the immense talent and skill that the ME community has.
Click the images to enlarge!
Tessa Brunton – Notes From a Sickbed
Tessa Brunton’s comic series about living with ME has it all: gorgeous artwork, a good dose of sarcasm, and a truly novel approach to wreaking havoc from your sickbed. You can read more of her work on her website, and support her work by buying a hard copy of her series.
A note from the artist, Tessa:
“Notes from a Sickbed is my comic series about my life with ME/CFS, focusing on the eight years I was housebound much of the time. The comics are not a doctors-and-treatments illness story, but a series of stand-alone comics where I use frankness, humor, and fantasy to reckon with the emotional toll of chronic illness as well as my efforts to cope.
Notes from a Sickbed was recently picked up by Graphic Universe and will be published as a collection when I’ve completed the series.
I’m so deeply grateful to everyone involved in #MillionsMissing for their strength, support and advocacy.”
Gemma Everson – Supercharged Superhero
Gemma Everson’s marvelous children’s book, Supercharged Superhero, is such a vital resource for parents with ME. Gemma wrote the book after her husband Tom became ill with ME. One of their daughters was old enough to know that her dad was sick in a different way, but didn’t understand why his energy was suddenly so limited. Gemma wrote Supercharged Superhero to help children understand what ME is and how it affects adults.
In the author’s words: “This powerful story changed everything for our family and suddenly, although Tom was still struggling physically, Georgia was given the language and understanding to help her accept that things had changed and move forward with this new version of her Dad. Together, we have learned to have fun in different ways and slow down and appreciate the small things in life – which is never a bad thing!”
Visit her website to learn more about the book and support her work!
KT King – Little Eden
KT King has written two novels in her series Little Eden, an imaginative tale that is filled with fantasy and heart. Like KT, the book’s heroine Sophie has ME. Little Eden isn’t primarily about ME, but its inclusion has helped readers with ME and without alike.
In a note on the series, KT says “ I hope I will help raise awareness of ME/CFS through the novels as they are designed to be enjoyed by anyone and everyone. Since my friends and family have read the novels I have noticed a marked difference in their understanding of what I go through and how they can help me. I always struggle on without really letting on how hard it is. I think speaking about it through Sophie helped me to express how it feels and it seems to have helped those around me to feel more able to support me.”
“Becoming a published writer is a lifelong dream come true. I hope Little Eden will become a beautiful escape place for you as it is for me. One of the main things readers say is that they would love to live in Little Eden and many readers with ME/CFS have said how comforting yet realistic my heroine, Sophie, is which makes all my efforts worthwhile!
The book begins with this: “A Magic Book opens the heart and expands the mind.”
Visit her website to read books one and two!
