There is a scene in a season 5 episode of ’80s sitcom The Golden Girls where one of the main characters, Dorothy, who has been battling profound tiredness, confronts the doctor who had failed to diagnose her.

After months of searching for answers, she tells him she finally knows what is wrong with her.

Launching into a blistering monologue, she holds him to account for ignoring her symptoms and making her doubt herself.

“I came to you sick and scared and you dismissed me,” she says, looking him straight in the eye. “You told me I wasn’t sick; you told me I was just getting old.

“Well, I really am sick. I have chronic fatigue syndrome. That is a real illness.”

It’s a moment that will likely resonate with many of those who suffer from the complex and debilitating condition.

Commonly referred to as ME/CFS, myalgic encephalomyelitis and chronic fatigue syndrome is a life-changing disease that affects about 444,000 Canadians.

Classified as a neurological disease in the World Health Organization’s International Classification of Diseases, the long-term chronic condition affects the nervous and immune system, affects more women than men, and children and adults of all ages.

The debilitating condition is characterized by an overwhelming lassitude, extreme tiredness that can see patients confined to their bed for hours on end or housebound for an indefinite period.

Other symptoms include (but are not limited to) cognitive challenges referred to as brain fog, which can manifest as word-finding difficulties, memory difficulties, and attention and concentration deficits; migraines; light and sound sensitivity; gastrointestinal issues; orthostatic intolerance; thermostatic instability; and sensitivity to chemicals.