Top 10 Awareness & Advocacy Sites for Fibromyalgia & ME/CFS

1. National Fibromyalgia Association

The NFA has worked since 1997 to provide support for people with fibromyalgia and other chronic pain illnesses. The nonprofit's stated mission is: To develop and execute programs dedicated to improving the quality of life for people with fibromyalgia.

The NFA hosts international conferences, puts on National Fibromyalgia Awareness Week, and publishes Fibromyalgia AWARE magazine.

2. CFIDS Association of America

The CFIDS Association of America, founded in 1987, is a charitable organization that aims to bring an end to the suffering and disability caused by chronic fatigue syndrome. It works to get federal funding for research, make Social Security disability more accessible to people with ME/CFS, educate doctors, and provide reliable information.

3. National Fibromyalgia Research Association

The NFRA is a nonprofit organization that helps fund research and physician education, works to raise public awareness, and lobbies the government to get more funding for research and recognition. This group created a fibromyalgia awareness bracelet and co-produced a fibromyalgia exercise video.

4. International Association for CFS/ME

The IACFS/ME is a nonprofit organization that emphasizes research, patient care and treatment. It conducts international scientific conferences to promote and evaluate research, and looks for ways to use research to help doctors and patients. Noted ME/CFS researcher Nancy Klimas, MD, currently is president of the IACFS/ME.

5. The American Fibromyalgia Syndrome Association, Inc.

This nonprofit group is dedicated to funding fibromyalgia research. AFSA provides pilot grants to help scientists get the government or other agencies to fund studies. Two prominent fibromyalgia researchers, Drs. Charles Lapp and Daniel Clauw, are on AFSA's Medical Advisory Committee.

6. The HHV-6 Foundation

The HHV-6 Foundation works to encourage the exchange of information between scientists and to provide pilot grants for research. Its first priority is better tests for differentiating between active and latent infections.

HHV-6 stands for human herpesvirus 6, which some research has tied to chronic fatigue syndrome and multiple sclerosis.

7. H.O.P.E. - Helping Our Pain and Exhaustion

H.O.P.E. is a nonprofit organization that works to educate friends and families, the public, the media and the medical community about fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome. Leading researcher Daniel Clauw, MD, is on the groups' advisory board.

8. The American Pain Foundation

APF is a nonprofit group that works to improve the quality of life of people who live with pain through public awareness, promoting research, and removing barriers to effective pain management. The APF has worked for the passage the National Pain Care Policy Act of 2008, which passed the U.S. House of Representatives in September 2008.

9. Rest Ministries, Inc.

Rest Ministries is a nonprofit Christian organization with a focus on support and awareness. It publishes Hopekeepers Magazine and also founded National Invisible Chronic Illness Awareness Week.

10. Campaign for a Fair Name

The Campaign for a Fair Name is dedicated to changing the name of chronic fatigue syndrome, which many believe trivializes the disorder and has led to a lack of public understanding and even research funfing.