Olympic sprinter Beth Dobbin bedbound 22 hours a day with ME
Former British Olympian Beth Dobbin, 32, spends over 22 hours a day in bed battling ME, speaking out to raise crucial awareness about the severe illness.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
- Former Olympic sprinter Beth Dobbin, 32, spends over 22 hours a day bedbound with ME.
- Her illness began following back-to-back Covid and glandular fever infections in winter 2021-22.
- She strongly rejects the term chronic fatigue syndrome for failing to capture the illness's severity.
- Her sister Faye is running the Yorkshire Marathon to raise funds for ME Research UK.
Former Great Britain Olympic sprinter Beth Dobbin is speaking out about her debilitating illness despite knowing the risk of a severe health relapse, driven by her determination to raise awareness about the condition that has upended her life.
Five years after competing at the Tokyo Olympics, the 32-year-old now spends more than 22 hours a day confined to her bed, leaving it only to eat and use the bathroom. Dobbin has been diagnosed with ME, or myalgic encephalomyelitis, a chronic and fluctuating disease causing severe fatigue, sleep disturbances, cognitive issues, and pain.
ME, often referred to by its broader label chronic fatigue syndrome, shares significant symptom overlaps with long Covid, bringing renewed scientific and funding attention following the pandemic. With no known cure and over 200 possible symptoms, the condition ranges drastically in severity, impacting an estimated 400,000 people in the UK and potentially over one million.
Simple sensory inputs like a bright light, a loud noise, or even a conversation can trigger a severe crash lasting anywhere from 24 hours to multiple months. This year, Dobbin has managed to leave her family home in Doncaster on only five occasions.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
Her health struggles originated from back-to-back Covid and glandular fever infections during the winter of 2021-22, which she only discovered retrospectively through tests. Despite experiencing lingering fatigue and swollen glands, she pushed through an unusually condensed season to qualify for the World, Commonwealth, and European Championships.
Her condition steadily deteriorated, culminating at the European Championships where she suffered a false start after losing all feeling in her legs while in the blocks, later describing the period in an emotional interview as a year of hell.
"But I felt like it was really important to do that to get the message out."
Beth Dobbin
Dobbin strongly rejects the label chronic fatigue syndrome, noting that having balanced grueling work shifts with athletic training before turning professional, she has known fatigue her whole life and feels the term fails to reflect the true severity of ME. There is currently no specialist NHS service for the condition, forcing her to wait 22 months for a private specialist appointment while even educating local GPs.
Supported closely by her parents and younger sister Faye at their family home, the emotional toll on the family is profound, with her mother Jean expressing deep sadness over her life being put on hold. To support her, Faye is running the Yorkshire Marathon to raise funds for ME Research UK, while Dobbin confronts a bleak future with cautious hope for medical breakthroughs.
Source: BBC Sport
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