{"id":10389,"date":"2024-12-23T10:47:21","date_gmt":"2024-12-23T10:47:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mecfs-research.org\/?p=10389"},"modified":"2025-11-08T16:56:15","modified_gmt":"2025-11-08T16:56:15","slug":"lemonchallengemecfs-update","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mecfs-research.org\/en\/lemonchallengemecfs-update\/","title":{"rendered":"Update: #LemonChallengeMECFS raises awareness of ME\/CFS"},"content":{"rendered":"

On 6 December 2024 at 1:07 p.m., the #LemonChallengeMECFS started. After just over two weeks, hundreds of people had already bitten into the lemon for attention and donations for people with ME\/CFS. <\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The #LemonChallengeMECFS has already generated more than 500 shared lemon bites (social media posts), more than 550,000 impressions and over 25,000 euros in donations for ME\/CFS research since our announcement at the beginning of December.<\/span><\/a> Numerous prominent artists, athletes and politicians are supporting the campaign on Instagram, Facebook, X, Threads, LinkedIn, YouTube and TikTok.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Participating celebrities include Eckart von Hirschhausen<\/span><\/a>, Johannes Rauch<\/span><\/a> (Austrian Federal Minister for Health), Ricarda Lang<\/span><\/a> (The Greens party), Stefan Schwartze<\/a><\/span> (Member of the German Bundestag, Federal Government Commissioner for Patients' Affairs), Klaus Holetschek<\/span><\/a> (former Bavarian Minister of Health), the musicians Rolf Zuckowski, Deine Freunde<\/span><\/a>, Johannes Strate<\/span><\/a> (Revolverheld, a band), The \"Hamburg Goldkehlchen\"<\/span><\/a>, as well as Oli P.<\/span><\/a>, die Hamburger Tafel, FC St. Pauli Museum<\/span><\/a>, ... and researchers such as Prof Carmen Scheibenbogen<\/span><\/a> from the Charit\u00e9 - University Medicine in Berlin. The first videos have also been posted in countries such as Mexico, Denmark, England and Spain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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#LemonChallengeMECFS Website<\/strong><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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J\u00f6rg Heydecke, founder of the ME\/CFS Research Foundation, comments: \u2018We are overwhelmed by the initial success of our #LemonChallengeMECFS. We are getting a lot of positive feedback from sufferers, relatives and, increasingly, from the general public. With this challenge, we want to draw attention to the medical and social catastrophe of this severe, common but under-researched multisystemic disease. Thanks to everyone who supports the #LemonChallengeMECFS and our work with donations!\u2019<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

How it works <\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Challengers, nominees, supporters and sufferers are called upon to bite (symbolically) into the lemon and to document their reaction to the extreme irritation of the sense of taste via video. Three further people will be nominated to do the same. The campaign is accompanied by an appeal for donations in favour of ME\/CFS research.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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PayPal donation page #LemonChallengeMECFS<\/strong><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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How can you support the work of the ME\/CFS Research Foundation?<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

We are committed to ensuring that the diagnosis, care and treatment of ME\/CFS sufferers will one day become the medical and social norm. As the ME\/CFS Research Foundation, we focus on biomedical research, which we see as the key to solving these problems (more on this in our research funding strategy<\/a><\/span> and in our half year report summer 2025<\/a><\/span>, which summarises our activities). To do this, we need extensive support from private donors \u2013 those affected, relatives, families, friends, associations, schools, networks, companies, initiatives, event organisers and all supporters. And if you are not able to provide direct support, you can share our story and motivate others to help. Because only together can such a feat be achieved.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We fully translate donations and other support into scientifically excellent research, networking and ultimately visible successes, i.e. improved ME\/CFS diagnostics and therapies. We are happy to work together with other organisations and initiatives - please contact us!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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We appreciate all kinds of support:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Donate to ME\/CFS research<\/strong><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Please subscribe to our newsletter:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Subscribe to newsletter<\/strong><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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And please help us expand our reach by following us on social media<\/strong>: <\/p>\n\n\n\n