Gabriel San Emeterio, S4HI cofounder, is featured speaker at Millions Missing protest in DC

S4HI cofounder Gabriel San Emeterio recently traveled to Washington, DC to speak at the Millions Missing 2023 protest. Millions Missing is an annual protest that raises awareness and demands support for chronic illnesses like myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (MECFS) and Long COVID, and is organized by chronically ill activists from ME Action and other groups.

“I have been living with complex chronic diseases for over 15 years, including myalgic encephalomyelitis or ME/CFS and HIV. A year ago a COVID infection had a significant long term impact on my already compromised health. After having COVID just once, my ME/CFS symptoms became more severe, new ones appeared, and my daily functioning baseline is lower. Yet, I’m fortunate to be here, thanks to the privilege that are my flexible work accommodations and the support of MEAction. But I assure you, I am the exception; most people living with ME and now Long COVID are severely disabled.

So, while you take in the impactful visual of these 300 empty cots standing in for the millions of people missing from public life, from their workplaces, and from their loved ones, I beg you not to forget that this is a political protest to draw attention to ME/CFS which is a disabling and deeply isolating disease.” - Excerpt from Gabriel’s remarks