THE silent demonstration at the Royal Free Hospital (London) today (Thursday), the 50th anniversary of the 'Royal Free Disease', has been cancelled because of security.

First the good news: sufferers of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (M E) may like to know Hereford's M E Clinic will re-open. A consultant has been appointed and a team is being formed.

Now the bad news: July 13 was the 50th anniversary of an outbreak of an infectious disease at the Royal Free Hospital, London. It was that episode, affecting 292 staff and patients, which led to the term M E being coined when the illness was described in the Lancet for the first time. I know, I was there - and I have been chronically ill ever since - 50 years without treatment.

At last the NHS is about to offer help. However, there is still a desperate need for M E to be researched. No-one yet knows its cause or how to cure it, even though it affects up to 700 in Herefordshire alone.

There is some promising research but it is in the very early stages. Dr John Gow at the University of Glasgow is working to find a test for the illness which could lead to a drug to give us a better quality of life. This is also being replicated elsewhere but they desperately need funds for this work.

If anyone would like to help the scientists please send a donation to: MEA Research Fund (Dr Gow), 4 Top Angel, Buckingham, MK18 1TH, or contact me at 01568 611958 for more information.

Pauline Ovenden SRN, SCM

Hereford Terrace, Leominster.