Exhibit puts chronic fatigue syndrome in the picture

Right:

“The Clouded Mind” by Tyler Grace. The photographer is pictured below, inset. PHOTO: TYLER GRACE TYLER Grace, 25, is a young man who has refused to let his life be defined by myalgic encephalomyelitis, also known as chronic fatigue syndrome, or “ME/ CFS” for short.

The condition effects brain function, the gut, the immune, endocrine and cardiac systems and diagnosis is difficult.

“It took doctors six years to work out what was wrong. When I was nine years old, I got a niggling pain in my back. By the time I was 12 it was affecting my whole body and I was hospitalised,” he told Dubbo Photo News.

“When I was in Year 8 I lost the ability to walk, then I had to learn how to walk again. Between the ages of 15 and 18, I was in and out of hospital, two weeks on and two weeks off. Once I turned 18 however, and no longer able to access paediatric care, the services are not there, so I pushed through and try to stay positive.”

Around that time, Tyler turned to photography.

“Photography gives me a reason to get out of bed in the morning. I have my down days, weeks and months, often, but I pace myself and push through.” Supported by local advocate Susan O’connor, Tyler will be exhibiting a series of images at Charles Sturt University which tell his story of living with ME/ CFS.

Mrs O’connor is also living with the condition and believes the exhibition will be a way of educating people on what it means to have ME/ CFS.

“It can be an incredibly isolating and misunderstood condition,” she said.

“I encourage others not to give up, but keep going. There is no cure now, but we can be hopeful for a cure. The exhibition will remind other people with the condition they are not alone, and hopefully, create awareness to get more support.”

The exhibition is free to view.

z “The Chronic Diaries” photographic exhibition by Tyler Grace, telling the story of Tyler’s experience living with ME/CFS

z Charles Sturt University Dubbo Campus, Building 901, 8 Tony Mcgrane Place, Dubbo

z Opening Night Event: Wednesday August 1, 6pm to 8pm, all welcome

z Exhibition ends September 21, 2018