RETURN TO TABLE OF CONTENTS
Summer 2003 

Media Watch
A report on coverage of CFIDS in the mainstream media
By Leah Moseley

CFIDS on CNN. CFIDS Association President and CEO Kim Kenney was interviewed in a July 28 segment on CNNfn, the financial network for CNN. Person with CFIDS (PWC) and documentary film maker Kim Snyder was also interviewed. The program focused on funding issues for CFIDS research and the serious, debilitating nature of the illness.

Medical manual updated. In 1997, the “Merck Manual of Medical Information,” a long-respected source of information to the medical community, published its first edition for consumers. Last month, Merck released the first update of that edition and now features diseases of unknown causes — including chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). The Washington Post (May 20) and The New York Times (Jun. 3) published articles about the new edition, and mentioned the addition of CFS.

Seabiscuit Generates Media Wave

The recent interest in  PWC Laura Hillenbrand and the July 25 release of a star-studded motion picture based on her phenomenal best-selling book, “Seabiscuit: An American Legend,” has created a wave of positive media coverage for CFIDS. Laura has proven to be an articulate spokesperson for the illness, and has used the media to catapult genuine interest in CFIDS. The most recent and prominent Seabiscuit-related coverage includes:

National Public Radio (NPR). On the July 24 edition of NPR’s “Fresh Air” show, Laura talked about her struggle to write her book about the famous Depression-era racehorse while dealing with CFIDS .

Chicago Sun Times. The July 24 issue featured a compassionate article by sports columnist Rick Telander that discusses the movie based on Laura’s best-seller and her personal battle with a crippling case of CFIDS . 

ABC’s 20/20. As part of a July 18 segment on Laura, host Bob Brown states, “although many doctors once dismissed [ CFIDS] as psychologically based, it is now recognized medically as a disabling physical condition.”

The Washington Times. The July 10 issue included an article written by Rick Snider, who covers thoroughbred racing for the paper and has written several books on the topic. Snider tells of Hillenbrand’s battle with CFIDS and the tremendous sacrifices she made to write Seabiscuit. Laura tells Snider: “I’ve lost a lot to this illness. It’s deprived me of everything but the inside of my bedroom for the last 16 years.”

The New Yorker. The July 7 issue of the magazine featured an essay written by Hillenbrand. The harrowing piece offers a personal and detailed account of Laura’s fight with CFIDS and the devastating impact it has had on her life.

The Diane Rehm Show. During the July 3 airing of the popular National Public Radio program, Laura again talked about her battle with CFIDS. Her physician, Dr. Alan Pocinki, and The CFIDS Association of America President and CEO Kim Kenney participated in the conversation.

The Washington Post. In the June 22 issue, columnist William Gildea compares Laura’s struggles to those of the characters in Seabiscuit, calling it “a story of persistence in the face of hardship.” He remarks that it was “at times severe enough that she could not roll over in bed, leaving us to wonder how the name given the illness can be so badly understated.”

USA Today. The May 29 edition included an article in its LIFE section about the release of new editions of Seabiscuit. The article discussed Laura’s battle with CFIDS and how the illness kept her from attending the Hollywood premiere of the movie.