Hummingbirds' Foundation for M.E. (HFME) website is down (no longer accessible)
Alternate links to use
At this time the HFME website is down. The people involved with managing the website have let me know they are looking into options on how to remedy the situation.
In the meantime, there is a back-up of the website on the “internet archive” website, also known as the “Wayback Machine”.
See here for HFME’s website archived on June 9, 2017: https://web.archive.org/web/20170609203448/http://www.hfme.org:80/meoverview.htm
NOTE: The website may take longer than normal to load
Unfortunately, some videos and other options may not function.
To find videos see their YouTube channel here:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL7957D3E5374A2ED0
For links to Jodi Bassett’s books see here:
https://www.amazon.com/stores/Jodi-Bassett/author/B005MN69E6
Who is the Hummingbirds’ Foundation for ME?
Jodi Bassett founded HFME. The following was taken from the website before her death:
“Jodi Bassett is an Australian writer, artist, graphic designer, and patient advocate.
Jodi contracted Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (M.E.) in 1995 when she was just 19. She went from being healthy and happy one day, to very ill and disabled with the neurological disease M.E. the next.
When first ill, Jodi was reduced to 40% of her pre-illness activity level. Due to inappropriate medical advice leading to sustained overexertion (which causes serious and permanent bodily damage in M.E.), Jodi's illness quickly went from moderate to extremely severe. By 1999 she was capable of less than even 5% of her pre-illness activity level.
After more than a decade of the disease becoming worse as each year passed, Jodi's disability level finally began to stabilise. Thanks to appropriate care, education and support, her condition improved from extremely severe to severe in 2007.”
Website states:
“The Hummingbirds' Foundation for M.E. (HFME) is fighting for the recognition of M.E., and for patients to be accorded the same basic human rights as those with similar disabling and potentially fatal neurological diseases such as M.S.”
The website date on their footer is listed as 2004 - 2012. Jodi died June 11, 2016. The website has been maintained by volunteers.
Many of us who have been sick for a long time have great respect for the materials on the HFME website and have shared many of its links in order to educate. Despite the information being from 2017, it is still very relevant.
There is a lot of excellent information on HFME’s website. If you haven’t checked it out before, I highly recommend it.
Who is Internet Archive - also known as the “Wayback Machine”?
Internet Archive is a non-profit library of millions of free books, movies, software, music, websites, and more.
For information about the Internet Archive see here:
https://help.archive.org/help/using-the-wayback-machine/
They accept donations to help keep this service going. See here: https://archive.org/donate/
The following is from the statement on their donation page:
For more than two and a half decades, we have collected, preserved, and shared our digital cultural artifacts. Thanks to the generosity of our patrons, the Internet Archive has grown from a small preservation project into a vast library that serves millions of people each year. Our work has impacted the lives of so many of our users who value free and open access to information.
From the beginning, it was important for the Internet Archive to be a nonprofit, because it was working for the people. Its motives had to be transparent; it had to last a long time. That's why we don't charge for access, sell user data, or run ads, even while we offer free resources to citizens everywhere. We rely on the generosity of individuals like you to pay for servers, staff, and preservation projects.”
As this story develops, I will post updates. I hope this information is helpful.
Colleen
Information provided here or in comments is not to be considered medical advice
Gracias Colleen