Written to express feelings of pain, anger, loss and love, upcoming album ‘It’s Still M.E’ by Kara Jane shares an insight into living life with M.E (myalgic encephalomyelitis). M.E has not only affected Kara’s life hugely, but also affects the lives of many living with the unsung condition.
The 29-year-old from Derbyshire was diagnosed with M.E (myalgic encephalomyelitis) 13 years ago, losing her ability to walk. Kara’s condition steadily worsened until she became permanently bedridden in 2013.
Kara now requires constant nursing care to help manage her severe pain and aid her breathing (she uses supplemental oxygen 24 hours a day to support this).
Due to the wide range of symptoms and side effects that come with having M.E, Kara is frequently admitted to the hospital with serious infections.
Despite her life being totally transformed by M.E, Kara won’t allow it to tarnish her spirit. From a place of suffering and despair, her music & upcoming album was born; a passion for writing and creating was ignited through the hardships she’s experienced.
Kara Jane’s album ‘It’s Still M.E’ is an emotionally compelling 9-part feat that goes above and beyond the meaning of powerful.
The album is a substantial achievement for Kara and a beacon of inspiration to all else. The vocals for the songs were recorded entirely from her bed, but creating the album has helped Kara process living her life with severe M.E and it will remain a legacy to her as an advocate striving towards a break-through for vital medical research.
Lead single ‘Baby Breathe’ will be released on the 1st of August, 1 week ahead of the release of ‘It’s Still M.E’ in full on the 8th. The 8th of August is Severe M.E Awareness Day – a day to remember those suffering from the illness & those who have passed away.
Kara Jane is aiming to raise £100,000 to support the ME Association (charity number: 801279) in order to help them reach their goal of establishing a post mortem research facility for those who die with or from M.E. The money raised from ‘It’s Still M.E’ will go to the ME Association’s Ramsay Research Fund.
£100,000 will enable the MEA in taking the early steps towards establishing this vital post mortem facility. This project as a whole lays close to Kara’s heart, in memory of her close friend Merryn Crofts who died of severe M.E three years ago, aged 21.
So far, research into ME has been terribly underfunded; little is known about those who die from the illness. Kara’s wider goal, aside from fundraising for the research facility, is to achieve a broader awareness of the severity of M.E and the fatality it can lead to at its most severe.
Following BBC News featuring Kara’s story online in May, over 100 musicians and producers have stepped forward to offer their help in completing the ‘It’s Still M.E’ album.
It’s Still M.E’s lead single ‘Baby Breathe’ was written after Kara lost her close aunt at 7 years old; all she wanted following her loss was to hear her aunt’s voice again.
Now that Kara is older, she is using her experiences to create music that will live on forever, ‘Baby Breathe’ is dedicated to her nephew, so that, in the case that she does not survive, he know’s he is loved beyond all measure & eternally. It’s a reminder that he will always find her in his heart and that simply by living his life, she will forever be alive in him.
“I will hide in your heart, I’ll reside in your skin. I will live every time that you breathe.”
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