'Get Well Soon' explores the socio-political and medical issues which disabled and chronically ill people face under capitalism. The principal focus is Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (M.E), and throughout the project, I draw on my own personal experiences of this debilitating, highly misunderstood neuroimmune condition.
I initially chose to focus on how our worth in society is defined by our ability to produce and the expectation to abide by normative timeframes. A lot of my practice has been a response to the frustration I have felt and the way I have been treated, due to being disabled. My final outcome is an illustrated, educational story called 'The Princess and the M.E,' which was inspired by the traditional tale 'The Princess and the Pea.' The story follows the Princess's path to diagnosis of an unexplained illness, the characters she faces along the way and the ever-evolving invisible pea.
This booklet is a tool to utilise and share so that we are understood, believed and, as a result, supported regardless of diagnosis. My aim is to help dismantle the disbelief, indifference and stigma which surrounds M.E within medical professions and wider society, therefore improving our quality of life.
