Following a very successful first meeting of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Fibromyalgia under MP Rob Wilson's chairmanship, MP for Reading East, his message to fibromyalgia sufferers everywhere was to keep approaching their MPs to persuade them to join this APPG to help raise the profile of fibromyalgia.

We heard from Kim Lawson that ordinary fibromyalgia sufferers alone cannot open the doors that MPs and medical professionals can, therefore if we want an improvement in diagnosis and treatment of Fibromaylgia the APPG on Fibromyalgia can facilitate that. Rob Wilson MP hopes to raise awareness with the media in 2006 and to invite a minister to talk at the next meeting in February/March.

Amongst MPs attending we were heartened that the Rt Hon Ken Clarke, MP for Rushcliffe, did find the time to attend and asked some very pertinent questions. Even if you have already written to your MP and been told that he/she won't be joining for whatever reason, please write again to persuade them to change their minds.

If they have already agreed to join, try to perusade them to attend the APPG meetings so that they can learn about the problems we are facing. If we all do it we might just get a few more MPs to take an interest in Fibromyalgia. MPs are very good at opening doors and we have to keep the momentum going if we are going to improve the situation for future generations of Fibromyalgia sufferers. There a few hundred APPGs for MPs to show an interest in, from Afghanistan to Youth Hostelling, so it is up to you to convince your MP that the APPG on Fibromyalgia is a worthwhile and important cause to join.