A CHARITY which helps hundreds of young people with a debilitating condition has made an emotional plea for help after its funding was cut.

ME North East has had to cut its children’s services after 15 years because it has been unable to find the £36,000 needed to continue funding specialist project worker Jeanette Walker-Guy.

Chief executive, Jennifer Elliott, said the charity needed a "miracle" and was devastated that the charity had not been successful in its latest bid to Children in Need.

Now staff are desperately seeking new funding so it can continue to offer support to help children stay in education, fight isolation and to manage their condition.

ME, which stands for Myalgic Encephalomyelitis, is also known as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS), and can leave sufferers unable to perform simple tasks or even communicate with their loved ones. There is no known cure.

ME North East supports people with ME/CFS and their families from the Scottish Borders to North Yorkshire and Cumbria.

Since it was founded in 2000 the charity has helped over 2,000 people.

Around 20 per cent are young people who need help with ME and staying in education.

Ms Elliott said: “We are devastated to have to cut this service. We know we are a lifeline to dozens of children across the North-East.

“The hundreds of young people we’ve helped across the years have told us how important ME North East has been to them.

“Often the only support they’ve received has been from ME North East as social and medical care for people with the condition is woefully inadequate. There are no dedicated NHS services for children and young people and paediatricians are referring patients back to their GP for “adequate treatment”.

“We know there are children across the region whose lives with be damaged by the cutting of our young person’s services which is absolutely heart-breaking.”

Hope Simpson, 16, of Bishop Auckland, has been supported by ME North East throughout her GCSEs and onto college.

She said: "I am devastated the funding for the Young People's Service at ME North East has been lost."

She added: "It's a plea and a cry for help because we know how many young people we are now abandoning."

"Jeanette, the support worker, has been an incredible help and a wonderful friend through some extremely challenging times. Her knowledge of ME and her compassion going over and above the call of duty to help has been amazing.

“I’ve been working with her for around three years now, I most appreciated her help and guidance throughout my GCSE exams. Since schools have a huge lack of understanding around ME Jeanette made it possible to explain what I needed and helped me in the move from school to college last September.

“She is more than just a support, she is a true friend. She has made it possible for me and others to connect with one another to share struggles and triumphs, forming lasting friendships that I will be forever grateful for.”

Hope's mum Catherine Simpson said: “The understanding and care that Hope received from ME North East’s Young People’s Services was invaluable and as Hope’s main carer allowed me time to breathe knowing that she was being supported. ME North East do an amazing job with a forgotten group and so deserve ongoing funding.”

To offer support call 0191-3884228 or email info@menortheast.org