ME/CFS is a serious, often invisible illness. Many sufferers lose their normal lives—their jobs, their education, their social contacts. This makes it all the more important that we take notice, talk about it, and raise awareness of the illness.

Awareness doesn’t have to be big or perfectly organized. It starts with compassion—and with the desire not to look away.

Sometimes it comes through music, through involvement in a school, through a sporting challenge or a run, through an event in a club, or through an initiative among friends. Sometimes it grows into a larger evening event like the charity gala “Zeit zum Hinschauen” (Time to Look). And sometimes it simply manifests itself in people coming to a demonstration and showing their presence.

Even in moments of farewell, many families send a strong message by asking for donations for ME/CFS at funerals.

All these gestures—quiet or visible, small or large—give those affected a voice. Awareness means working together to make visible what has been overlooked for too long. Together, we can create hope and advance research.