'Be your authentic selves': man's final words spur fund to tackle chronic fatigue syndrome
Tuesday, 23 August 2022
A man’s final words have inspired a dedicated fund to tackle a debilitating health condition.
Zascha Mann died last year after a long struggle with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), also known as myalgic encephalomyelitis.
His poignant final message urged people to “fiercely be your authentic, wonderful, weird selves”.
“The world needs more authentic humans. Secondly, please do what you can to make the world a better place, it needs people to fight for it.”
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Nelson woman Angela Palmer took Mann’s words to heart. Now, Palmer is helping fundraise $50,000 to kickstart the Zest for Life Fund, established in Mann’s memory.
Despite at least 25,000 people across Aotearoa suffering from CFS, we know very little about the condition, Palmer said.
“Much more research needs to be done, and there is a serious lack of funding around this,” she said.
While Mann’s “exuberance for life” saw him ski, climb mountains, travel and kayak, he spent a lot of time stuck in bed; a reality for CFS sufferers, Palmer said.
“We must ensure that these people, lying at home in bed, often isolated and unable to summon the energy for even a phone call or email… are fully cared for.
“As a society we are letting these ‘hidden people’ down.”
The Zest for Life Fund, run through the Top of the South Community Foundation, will provide small grants to make life easier for people living with CFS, Palmer said.
That could mean funding respite care, help getting to appointments or with housework or accessing advocacy, she said.
Zest for Life will launch on Saturday August 27 at 10am at Fairfield House. The original plan to visit Mann’s Maitai River memorial has been changed due to track damage.
For more information or to donate to the fund visit www.topsouthfoundation.org.nz.