Today, OMF honors Juneteenth, also known as Freedom Day or Emancipation Day, the oldest known commemoration of the eradication of slavery in the United States.
OMF stands in solidarity with the continuing fight for justice and freedom, 155 years later, and recognizes without equivocation, that Black Lives Matter.
We also recognize that people of color have long experienced stark health disparities. We have seen ME / CFS within minority communities largely ignored and under-served by the medical establishment. In 2019, OMF CEO Linda Tannenbaum stated, “It is a tremendous injustice, as we all realize the imbalance of access to proper patient care for many patients with ME / CFS, especially African-Americans. The voices of these communities are unheard, ignored, and neglected, and most people are unaware of what they have, and most doctors do not even acknowledge or treat the symptoms of this horrific disease.”
We honor Juneteenth by recommitting to listen, learn, and seek opportunities to challenge the systemic racism built into our healthcare and research institutions.
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