VERA Kindlon's 23 year old son, Tom, has literally slept away the past two years of his life. He spends 80 per cent of his days in bed and has not left the house since last October.
Tom is one of more than 10,000 people in Ireland who suffer from the chronic fatigue syndrome, Myalgic Encephalomyelitis, or ME.
About 20 per cent of the sufferers are teenagers and young people, according to Ms Kindlon, a committee member of the Irish ME Support Group.
To mark the start of ME Awareness Week yesterday, a group of ME sufferers presented information and blue ribbons to the deputy Lord Mayor, Mr Brendan Lynch, at the Mansion House, Dublin.
The support group, which has 1,000 members, is calling for Government funding for research into the illness.
Ms Kindlon said the aim of the week was to raise public awareness of the illness, which was once called "yuppie flu".
It is believed that ME is due to infection by a common virus which strikes at the central nervous system. The symptoms include recurrent flu like illnesses, fevers, muscle and joint aches, severe headaches, intolerance to light and noise, dizziness, mood swings and ringing ears.
There is no definitive treatment for ME, but patients diagnosed early who are able to rest in the first year of illness and through relapses have a better chance of recovery.
A public awareness meeting will be held in the Herbert Hotel, Herbert Road, Dublin tomorrow at 8 p.m. It will be addressed by Dr Joe Fitzgibbon, who has carried out research into ME in Ireland.
The ME Awareness Week ends next Sunday on International ME Day. Anyone seeking further information can contact the Irish ME Support Group helpline on 01 6600885.