Our History 

The ACT ME/CFS Society was initially established in 1983, with some support by the ACT Multiple Sclerosis Society, to educate the public and medical professionals in the ACT about myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS).  

As the founder, Judy, wrote in her article ‘A short history of ME/CFS in Canberra’ in 1993, “The Committee, in the early years, spent many hours distributing literature we gathered from overseas research (mostly from the New Zealand Society at that stage) and brochures of local content to all medical outlets possible – all GPs’ surgeries, health centres, clinics, hospitals, social workers, consulting physicians, neurologists, rheumatoid specialists – in fact anywhere we thought the word may get through to someone about the illness received our literature.  

It is hard to believe that even though the struggle for recognition of this illness throughout society will never be over until we have a cure, great progress has been made through the efforts of many people – sufferers and their families. [Over the last decades], a support network has been established where the many people with this illness in the ACT can gain knowledge of the illness and most importantly can find sympathetic support from fellow sufferers.” 

In 2020, the board of the ACT ME/CFS Society voted to join with Arthritis ACT, who had previously amalgamated with Pain Support ACT, rebranding to become Arthritis, Pain Support & ME/CFS ACT. The formal amalgamation allowed each organisation to provide more to members, benefiting from each other’s offerings, and future proofing funding for services for members who have ME/CFS, Long COVID and other debilitating fatigue conditions.  

In 2024, the board of Arthritis, Pain Support & ME/CFS ACT, together with Emerge Australia, voted to change the nomenclature of the ME/CFS ACT aspect to Emerge ACT. This decision was made based on the rise in support needs for Long COVID and other forms of debilitating fatigue, in addition to ME/CFS. The organisation has a close relationship with Emerge Australia, who are generally viewed as the Peak Consumer Body for ME/CFS and Long COVID, and the change of name also reflects the understanding of this within the community, government and other organisations in Australia. 

Emerge ACT have a number of services for people with fatiguing and pain conditions, which include: 

• weekly online support groups 

• monthly in-person catch ups 

• a free educational series on self-management and Long COVID 

• free counselling for members 

• small group, live online courses for self-management and pacing with energy-limiting conditions (Club Tortoise and the Self-Help Course) 

• a fortnightly newsletter on events in the ACT and online for members and carers 

• a closed Whatsapp group for people with ME/CFS, Long COVID, Fibromyalgia and similar conditions. 

If you think you could benefit from any of our services, please get in touch at [email protected].