TB & ME is a new Medicines Sans Frontieres (Doctors without Borders) blogging platform, created to provide a platform for multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR TB) patients with an opportunity to tell the world about the issues which affect their lives, about how treatment and services could be improved and how it feels to have this disease.

One of the regular bloggers is Grace Lamwaka, a student of agriculture in Kitgum, and MDR TB patient from Uganda. She is currently treated by MSF, and hopes to get back to her studies in agriculture again as soon as she is well enough.  Grace started blogging in May 2011 and has covered her treatment and how TB has affected her life since she was diagnosed in 2006. She also writes about inefficient treatments, having to quit her job and studies and the diseases impact on relationships with family and friends.A number of people in Grace’s life have distanced themselves from her. Some relatives and friends are convinced that she is HIV positive -even though Grace only suffers from TB – and have turned their back on her – the stigma of TB is unfortunately a reoccurring theme in her blog posts. Nonetheless Grace also talks about her hopes and strengths amidst the difficulties she faces.

In her latest blog post Grace writes:

“People think I have HIV, but I know I don’t have HIV. I’m only suffering from TB. According to their thinking, I must have HIV because I was totally weak. Because of this, I have been neglected by some friends and relatives. I know what they say behind my back – she’s HIV positive. Now she is fatter and doing well, she must be on the drugs, that’s why she’s doing well”.

She concludes the post by saying: “I cannot tell you a lie my friends, that is the most stigma I have faced up to now, but I have a strong heart.”

RESULTS UK wholeheartedly support this initiative and look forward to reading more of the stories on prevention, treatment and care of Tuberculosis that MDR TB sufferers have to tell.You can read old posts and follow Grace here.