ME/CFS Awareness Week 2026 – Emerge Australia

ME/CFS Awareness 2026
Wednesday 6 May – Tuesday 12 May

During the week, Emerge Australia invites the community to participate in a series of initiatives around the theme The Hidden Harm of “Trying Harder”, with the aim of raising awareness of post-exertional malaise (PEM), the defining feature of ME/CFS.

Imagine Podcast

Seven episodes of the Imagine podcast will be released during the week, encompassing compelling discussions with experts, patients and advocates exploring the multifaceted impacts of PEM and ME/CFS.

Guests include:

Tahlia Ruschioni, Executive Director of the renowned Bateman Horne Centre
Audrey Urquart, young advocate living with ME/CFS
Kate Herbert, Emerge Australia’s Nurse Educator
Louise De Pino, social worker and peer facilitator
Carolyn Merritt, retired physiotherapist and ME/CFS advocate
Camille Williams, Emerge Australia Telehealth Nurse
Carly Vesela, advocate living with ME/CFS

Awareness Day Symposium

On International ME/CFS Awareness day, Tuesday 12 May, 2pm (AEST). We invite the community to join us online for a 1-hour symposium focused on the awareness, recognition and validation of post-exertional malaise (PEM)

Bringing together experts and those with lived experience of PEM, speakers will share personal stories, helpful insights and perspectives on symptoms, triggers, finding a baseline, and developing a PEM profile and toolkit.

Excellence in Media Awards

The finalists and winner of the Emerge Australia ME/CFS Awards for Journalism Excellence will be announced during the week.

Online Symposium with Emerge Australia

ME/CFS Awareness Week - Wednesday 7 May, 2pm AEST

01 HOST

Anne Wilson

Chief Executive Officer, Emerge Australia

Anne is an accomplished NFP CEO with a former focus in respiratory and renal health, and a track record engaging stakeholders and building capacity across advocacy, education, research and service delivery.

Anne’s current focus is dedicated to empowering Australians impacted by ME/CFS and long COVID. A graduate of the Stanford University Graduate School of Business NFP Leadership Program, Anne’s qualifications span degrees in Human Services and Adolescent Health.

In 2008, Anne was recognised as the NFP Network Association CEO of the Year, and currently is Director and Secretary/Treasurer of the International Kidney Cancer Coalition.

02 Introducing

Laura Allen

Emerge Australia's Health and Support Manager

Laura joined the Emerge Australia team in 2019. She has worked as a nurse in various roles since 2007 but has a background in Intensive Care and surgical nursing. Since commencing at Emerge Australia she has overseen and delivered the Telehealth Nurse Service program. She is committed to providing a service that is free of stigma and discrimination, delivered with integrity, compassion and empathy.

02 Introducing

Louise DePino

social worker living with ME/CFS

Louise is a trained social worker with extensive experience as a peer facilitator. Louise has lived with ME/CFS for 25 years, along with other co-morbid conditions. Throughout the years, Louise has advocated for and provided support to many people with chronic illnesses including facilitating peer support groups for the Royal Children’s Hospital and for Emerge Australia.

Louise strives to create a safe and inclusive space where individuals can find solidarity, resources, and encouragement on their journey.

03 Introducing

Kate Herbert

registered nurse living with ME/CFS

Kate joined the Emerge Australia team at the start of 2021 after completing honours by research with her topic being “quality of life in ME/CFS”. She has a background in paediatrics and communicable disease control. She now largely works from home. Kate is passionate about improving health practitioner knowledge and capacity to provide safe care to those impacted by ME/CFS.

She does this by integrating her personal experience, current research and knowledge gained through connecting with people within the ME/CFS community.

04 Introducing

Carolyn Merritt

physiotherapist living with ME/CFS

Carolyn Merritt is a physiotherapist, with a remarkable career spanning four decades. Having dedicated her life to helping others, Carolyn’s own health journey has given her a unique perspective on chronic illnesses, particularly dysautonomia and ME/CFS. Her early retirement due to health issues has not diminished her passion for raising awareness and improving the understanding of these complex conditions.

We are grateful to Carolyn sharing her experiences as a healthcare practitioner, and her journey towards advocating for better knowledge and care for those living with chronic illnesses.

05 Introducing

Camille Williams

registered nurse and patient educator

Camille commenced the role of Telehealth Nurse at the end of May 2022. Her nursing background is in Oncology, and she has worked in support services for the Leukaemia Foundation. Camille has a strong connection with people who live with ME/CFS and personal experience of living with an invisible disease.

Due to her personal journey, she can empathise and have some understanding of what people with an invisible disability, their families and carers experience.