Welcome to Episode 5 of Live & Learn. This week Megan chats with Shelley-Lee Waller, a former journalist turned health promoter and advocate for young people with chronic illness and disability, including her son Ethan, who developed ME/CFS a decade ago. Shelley co-founded the support group Parents of Young People with ME/CFS Australia. Shelley and Megan discuss the challenges ME/CFS presents for families, such as school attendance and social isolation, the need for greater awareness, and the role of technology like telepresence robots for maintaining social and educational connections.
ME/CFS is a chronic, disabling disease affecting multiple body systems. Often triggered by infections like the flu or COVID-19, its cause isn’t always clear. Emerge Australia, a national nonprofit, supports people with ME/CFS through telehealth, community services, and evidence-based resources while advocating for better diagnosis and care.
Read the transcript here.
