In Memory of Dr Elizabeth Dowsett (shout outs)

Our hearts go out in sadness and in immense gratitude to the incomparable Ms Elizabeth Dowsett who recently died.

She was a fearless leader of care, support and research in the area of M.E. And fought tirelessly for the recognition of this terrible illness.

She, in our minds, was one of the worlds most learned M.E. specialists. It is thanks to her trusted research that we know as much about M.E. as we do.

As Jodi beautifully and articulately wrote in the Hfme -Newsletter

'Dr Dowsett, a genuine hero for M.E. patients, died on June 14 in a nursing home in Cambridge at the age of 91.

Dr Dowsett was born in Newport and studied medicine at Edinburgh University, working first as a GP and then as a microbiologist. She began to focus on M.E. in the 1960s and went on to work with leading M.E. experts then and now, Dr Ramsay and Dr Richardson, and to see thousands of patients with M.E.

Dr Dowsett’s high quality work saw her became one of the most experienced and knowledgeable M.E. experts in the world. Her papers on M.E. are still relevant and essential reading today for patients and doctors.

In a field rife with sickening self-promotion, greed and corruption of basic science and facts -all at the patients’ expense -Dr Dowsett’s work was and is a shining beacon of hope and sanity.

Dr Dowsett is one of those very rare caring and intelligent doctors that has put truth and patients first and really done all she can to try and help the M.E. patient and the M.E. cause. If only we had hundreds more doctors like her the world for the person with M.E. may be very different today.

Dr Dowsett fought so hard to have the distinct neurological and enteroviral disease M.E. separated out from 'CFS' and various vague fatigue subgroups and wastebasket diagnoses. This fight is just as necessary today, sadly. The facts have not changed and nor have the political hurdles we face (except that there are far more of them as so many 'advocacy' groups have now sold out to the 'ME/CFS' concept they were created to fight against, yet still bafflingly enjoy widespread patient support).

M.E. patients everywhere owe Dr Dowsett a huge debt of gratitude. Words can’t express how grateful we are (and I am) for Dr Dowsett’s work, caring, selflessness, integrity and insights. She is a genuine hero. Sincere best wishes to the Dowsett family.

See: http://www.hfme.org/wdowsett.htm. '

We know that her work will benefit us for years to come, what better legacy.

We are proud of you ma'am!

Our heartfelt love and condolences go out to her family, friends and loved ones.

Alison, on behalf of,,,
The Tinkerbelle and Hummingbird M.E. Blog