360 Sportspeople Back Beth Dobbin's Plea to PM for Urgent ME Research Funding

A coalition of 360 sportspeople has signed a letter urging Prime Minister Keir Starmer to meet with Beth Dobbin, a British sprinter whose mother lives with myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME), and to boost government funding for ME research. The signatories include current and former athletes across multiple sports, uniting to demand action on a condition that affects an estimated 250,000 people in the UK. Dobbin has campaigned publicly for increased investment, arguing that ME has been historically underfunded compared to other chronic illnesses. The letter calls for a dedicated meeting to discuss research priorities and patient support. ME, also known as chronic fatigue syndrome, leaves many sufferers bedbound and has no approved diagnostic test or cure. Advocates say current funding levels fall far short of what is needed to understand the disease's biology and develop treatments. The athletes' intervention adds significant public pressure on the government to address the funding gap. If the prime minister agrees to meet, it could mark a turning point in recognition and resources for a long-neglected patient community.