Meet our NINTH Critter in series 2… Sylvie the Buoyant Sloth with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS).

Sylvie suffers from severe ME/CFS, leaving him bedridden for weeks, months and even years at a time. He relies on a central line for his medications and fluids, which can be difficult for him to get otherwise.

Sylvie also has a caregiver who administers his meds, helps him with his hygiene and making him as comfortable as possible! Sylvie can’t live without them!

You’ll frequently see Sylvie in a sleep mask because lights trigger severe fatigue and sensory overload due to his highly sensitive nervous system. Even the smallest things can trigger severe fatigue post-exertional malaise (PEM) and leave him extremely sick for indefinite periods of time.

His butt stamp is a shoe, which is used in protest to highlight the #millionsmissing movement. Each pair of shoes at a protest represents an ME/CFS patient who is unable to physically be at a rally/protest/event due to being too sick. Many times, dozens of empty pairs of shoes are left outside government buildings in silent protest in the fight for change.

Sylvie serves as a reminder that there are millions missing because of ME/CFS and that we need to work together to advocate for more research and better care for ME/CFS patients! Sylvie represents the forgot for advocacy and change, and that we can work together to improve quality of life for ME/CFS patients!