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Cook County hears testimony on myalgic encephalomyelitis as resident urges more services and research
Summary
Monica Bridal Hull told the Cook County Board of Commissioners that her 26-year-old son suffers from myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME), that local clinical capacity is limited, and that Cook County—s resolution recognizing ME is an important step toward awareness.
Monica Bridal Hull testified during the public comment period in support of a Cook County resolution recognizing myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME), commonly known as chronic fatigue syndrome.
"My 26-year-old son, Gabe, who relies on my husband and I for everything...his body no longer works," Bridal Hull said. She described Gabe's illness beginning after mononucleosis in 2018, said that ME has no FDA-approved cure, and told the board that Chicago—s five major medical centers lack dedicated ME programs. She cited two prevalence estimates, "3000000 Americans" from the CDC and more recent research by Lenny Jason at DePaul University estimating 5,000,000 Americans with ME.
Bridal Hull said the economic burden in the U.S. is "in the hundreds of billions of dollars" and that research has been limited by lack of investment. She called Cook County's resolution "a step in raising awareness" and thanked commissioners for recognizing the condition.
The transcript records the public comments and the speaker's request for awareness and advocacy. The board later approved the consent calendar that included multiple ceremonial items by voice vote; the supplied transcript does not show a separate recorded roll call specifically tied to a numbered ME resolution or appropriation for services.
