15786/3KATE Delaney spends her days in bed or in a chair. On a good day she can summon up the strength to send a text message to a friend.

Miss Delaney, 28, has been struck down by M.E. (Myalgic Encephalomyelitis), a chronic illness.

The effect of the illness on Miss Delaney has been catastrophic.

She was an active young woman who had boundless energy and was hoping to work for the United Nations helping people in Third World countries.

She did the gruelling Devizes to Westminster Canoe Race as part of the Dauntsey's School crew in 1994 and two years earlier had won the overall prize in a young musician of the year competition run by Devizes Rotary Club for her piano recital.

Miss Delaney's mother, Linda, has given up her job working with special needs children at The George Ward School, Melksham, to look after her at their home in Easterton near Devizes. Her father, John, is a company director.

Miss Delaney has inspired her sister, Jenny, to run this year's London Marathon.

Mrs Delaney said her elder daughter was a shadow of her former self.

"Kate is almost unrecognisable from how she was, which brings the tragedy of the whole thing home to us," she said.

Mrs Delaney said her daughter has not been outside in over a year and is generally confined to her bedroom and bathroom.

She said: "Kate is unable to take more than a few steps. Her head hurts so much. Talking or being talked to is painful, even listening to music is exhausting.

"She can occasionally lift a few fingers to text her friends and say 'hi.'"

The symptoms of M.E. started four years ago when Miss Delaney was on a flight home after a family holiday in New Zealand. She had chronic pain radiating throughout her body.

At the time she was working as a researcher at the University of Southampton.

For her PhD she studied the effects of farming practices and land drainage systems and was hoping to work for the United Nations, when her illness struck.

Jenny Delaney 24, is running the London Marathon to raise money for Action for M.E. a charity which is campaigning to improve understanding of the illness and lobbying the Medical Research Council to undertake more studies into M.E.

Miss Delaney, who is living at home in Easterton and works as a primary school teacher in Southampton. She said: "Me and Kate were very close and in a way because of her illness I feel I have lost a sister.

"I feel quite helpless, I don't know what to do for Kate so I thought I would run the London Marathon and raise money for an M.E. charity.

Miss Delaney has so far raised £1,200 from well wishers including from residents of Easterton.

If you would like to make a donation towards Jenny Delaney's London Marathon run in aid of Action for M.E. log on to her website at www.justgiving.com/marathonmayhem

Fact file

ME (Myalgic Encephalomyelitis or Encephalopathy) is a chronic illness that affects many parts of the body such as the nervous and immune systems. The illness is also known as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and it is estimated that there are up to 240,000 people with it in the UK.

Symptoms include tiredness, headaches, muscle and joint pain and problems with thinking.

At present there is no cure for ME although for some people the symptoms can be treated.

Doctors first identified ME as an illness in 1955.

NICE (National Institute for Clinical Excellence) is preparing guidance on diagnosis and treatment which will be published in 2007.

For more information contact Action for ME on 0845 1232380 or log on to www.afme.org.uk