Carmen Rinnhofer: Isolated in the dark – your fight against Long Covid!

Carmen Rinnhofer: Isolated in the dark – your fight against Long Covid!

In Austria, Carmen Rinnhofer is at the center of a harrowing story that raises awareness of the devastating consequences of Long Covid and ME/CFS (Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome). The 29-year-old from Langenwang has been living in the complete darkness of her room for more than two and a half years, fighting against the extreme exhaustion that makes every action a challenge. “I am often too weak to stand up or pick up my cell phone,” is how she describes everyday life, which for her means little more than survival, as she tells “Steiermark Today”.

The illness, which occurred in Carmen after a corona infection, has led to her regularly wasting away in so-called “crashers” – a dramatic deterioration in her condition after minimal stress. The interview was one of Carmen's few opportunities to speak out, but it will take her several weeks of recovery, as she says: "I think it will definitely take a week or two to recover." Still, it is important to her to share the reality of her illness and the lack of adequate medical research. She has launched a fundraiser to support the Ströck family's We&Me Foundation, which works to raise awareness and improve treatment conditions for ME/CFS.

Fundraiser to fight ME/CFS

With the goal of collecting a total of 75,000 euros for research by her 30th birthday on January 25, 2025, around 56,000 euros have already been raised. Carmen herself calls on people to share and support the appeal for donations in order to ultimately enable a second chance for sick people like her. “Research is crucial because there are currently no approved treatment options,” she points out. ME/CFS is often perceived as not being taken seriously, which makes the need for education and support initiatives all the more urgent.

The fate of Carmen Rinnhofer, which vividly describes the symptoms and everyday life of those affected by ME/CFS and makes them clear to the invited public, has the potential to bring about important changes in the perception and treatment of this debilitating disease. Despite years of neglect and widespread misdiagnosis, their initiative is a step in the right direction - for more research and recognition of this often overlooked condition that affects millions of people.