Latest news with #CFS
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Every fusion startup that has raised over $100M
Over the last several years, fusion power has gone from the butt of jokes — always a decade away! — to an increasingly tangible and tantalizing technology that has drawn investors off the sidelines. The technology may be challenging to master and expensive to build today, but fusion promises to harness the nuclear reaction that powers the sun to generate nearly limitless energy here on Earth. If startups are able to complete commercially viable fusion power plants, then they have the potential to upend trillion-dollar markets. The bullish wave buoying the fusion industry has been driven by three advances: more powerful computer chips, more sophisticated AI, and powerful high-temperature superconducting magnets. Together, they have helped deliver more sophisticated reactor designs, better simulations, and more complex control schemes. It doesn't hurt that, at the end of 2022, a U.S. Department of Energy lab announced that it had produced a controlled fusion reaction that produced more power than the lasers had imparted to the fuel pellet. The experiment had crossed what's known as scientific breakeven, and while it's still a long ways from commercial breakeven, where the reaction produces more than the entire facility consumes, it was a long-awaited step that proved the underlying science was sound. Founders have built on that momentum in recent years, pushing the private fusion industry forward at a rapid pace. With a $1.8 billion Series B, Commonwealth Fusion Systems catapulted itself into the pole position in 2021. Since then, the company has been quiet on the fundraising front (no surprise), but it has been hard at work in Massachusetts building Sparc, its first-of-a-kind power plant intended to produce power at what it calls 'commercially relevant' levels. Sparc's reactor uses a tokamak design, which resembles a doughnut. The D-shaped cross section is wound with high-temperature superconducting tape, which when energized, generates a powerful magnetic field that will contain and compress the superheated plasma. In Sparc's successor, the commercial-scale Arc, heat generated from the reaction is converted to steam to power a turbine. CFS designed its magnets in collaboration with MIT, where co-founder and CEO Bob Mumgaard worked as a researcher on fusion reactor designs and high-temperature superconductors. Backed by Breakthrough Energy Ventures, The Engine, Bill Gates, and others, Devens, Massachusetts-based CFS expects to have Arc operational in the early 2030s. The company has raised a total of $2 billion, according to PitchBook. Founded in 1998, TAE Technologies (formerly known as Tri Alpha Energy) was spun out of the University of California, Irvine by Norman Rostoker. It uses a field-reversed configuration, but with a twist: after the two plasma shots collide in the middle of the reactor, the company bombards the plasma with particle beams to keep it spinning in a cigar shape. That improves the stability of the plasma, allowing more time for fusion to occur and for more heat to be extracted to spin a turbine. The company raised $150 million in June from existing investors, including Google, Chevron, and New Enterprise. TAE has raised $1.79 billion in total, according to PitchBook. Of all fusion startups, Helion has the most aggressive timeline. The company plans to produce electricity from its reactor in 2028. Its first customer? Microsoft. Helion, based in Everett, Washington, uses a type of reactor called a field-reversed configuration, where magnets surround a reaction chamber that looks like an hourglass with a bulge at the point where the two sides come together. At each end of the hourglass, they spin the plasma into doughnut shapes that are shot toward each other at more than 1 million mph. When they collide in the middle, additional magnets help induce fusion. When fusion occurs, it boosts the plasma's own magnetic field, which induces an electrical current inside the reactor's magnetic coils. That electricity is then harvested directly from the machine. The company raised $425 million in January 2025, around the same time that it turned on Polaris, a prototype reactor. Helion has raised $1.03 billion, according to PitchBook. Investors include Sam Altman, Reid Hoffman, KKR, BlackRock, Peter Thiel's Mithril Capital Management, and Capricorn Investment Group. Pacific Fusion burst out of the gate with a $900 million Series A, a whopping sum even among well-funded fusion startups. The company will use inertial confinement to achieve fusion, but instead of lasers compressing the fuel, it will use coordinated electromagnetic pulses. The trick is in the timing: All 156 impedance-matched Marx generators need to produce 2 terawatts for 100 nanoseconds, and those pulses need to simultaneously converge on the target. The company is led by CEO Eric Lander, the scientist who led the Human Genome Project, and president Will Regan. Pacific Fusion's funding might be massive, but the startup hasn't gotten it all at once. Rather, its investors will pay out in tranches when the company achieves specified milestones, an approach that's common in biotech. Shine Technologies is taking a cautious — and possibly pragmatic — approach to generating fusion power. Selling electrons from a fusion power plant is years off, so instead, it's starting by selling neutron testing and medical isotopes. More recently, it has been developing a way to recycle radioactive waste. Shine hasn't picked an approach for a future fusion reactor, instead saying that it's developing necessary skills for when that time comes. The company has raised a total of $778 million, according to PitchBook. Investors include Energy Ventures Group, Koch Disruptive Technologies, Nucleation Capital, and the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation. Now its third-decade, General Fusion has raised $440.53 million, according to PitchBook. The Richmond, British Columbia-based company was founded in 2002 by physicist Michel Laberge, who wanted to prove a different approach to fusion known as magnetized target fusion (MTF). Investors include Jeff Bezos, Temasek, BDC Capital, and Chrysalix Venture Capital. In an General Fusion's reactor, a liquid metal wall surrounds a chamber in which plasma is injected. Pistons surrounding the wall push it inward, compressing the plasma inside and sparking a fusion reaction. The resulting neutrons heat the liquid metal, which can be circulated through a heat exchanger to generate steam to spin a turbine. General Fusion hit a rough patch in spring 2025. The company ran short of cash as it was building LM26, its latest device that it hoped would hit breakeven in 2026. Just days after hitting a key milestone, it laid off 25% of its staff. Tokamak Energy takes the usual tokamak design — the doughnut shape — and squeezes it, reducing its aspect ratio to the point where the outer bounds start resembling a sphere. Like many other tokamak-based startups, the company uses high-temperature superconducting magnets (of the rare earth barium copper oxide, or REBCO, variety). Since its design is more compact than a traditional tokamak, it requires less in the way of magnets, which should reduce costs. The Oxfordshire, UK-based startup's ST40 prototype, which looks like a large, steampunk Fabergé egg, generated an ultra-hot, 100 million degree C plasma in 2022. Its next generation, Demo 4, is currently under construction and is intended to test the company's magnets in 'fusion power plant-relevant scenarios.' Tokamak Energy raised $125 million in November 2024 to continue its reactor design efforts and expand its magnet business. In total, the company has raised $336 million from investors including Future Planet Capital, In-Q-Tel, Midven, and Capri-Sun founder Hans-Peter Wild, according to PitchBook. Zap Energy isn't using high-temperature superconducting magnets or super-powerful lasers to keep its plasma confined. Rather, it zaps the plasma (get it?) with an electric current, which then generates its own magnetic field. The magnetic field compresses the plasma about 1 millimeter, at which point ignition occurs. The neutrons released by the fusion reaction bombard a liquid metal blanket that surrounds the reactor, heating it up. The liquid metal is then cycled through a heat exchanger, where it produces steam to drive a turbine. Like Helion, Zap Energy is based in Everett, Washington, and the company has raised $327 million, according to PitchBook. Backers include Bill Gates' Breakthrough Energy Ventures, DCVC, Lowercarbon, Energy Impact Partners, Chevron Technology Ventures, and Bill Gates as an angel. Most investors have favored large startups that are pursuing tokamak designs or some flavor of inertial confinement. But stellarators have shown great promise in scientific experiments, including the Wendelstein 7-X reactor in Germany. Proxima Fusion is bucking the trend, though, having attracted a €130 million Series A that brings its total raised to more than €185 million. Investors include Balderton Capital and Cherry Ventures. Stellarators are similar to tokamaks in that they confine plasma in a ring-like shape using powerful magnets. But they do it with a twist — literally. Rather than force plasma into a human-designed ring, stellarators twist and bulge to accommodate the plasma's quirks. The result should be a plasma that remains stable for longer, increasing the chances of fusion reactions. Marvel Fusion follows the inertial confinement approach, the same basic technique that the National Ignition Facility used to prove that controlled nuclear fusion reactions could produce more power than was needed to kick them off. Marvel fires powerful lasers at a target embedded with silicon nanostructures that cascade under the bombardment, compressing the fuel to the point of ignition. Because the target is made using silicon, it should be relatively simple to manufacture, leaning on the semiconductor manufacturing industry's decades of experience. The inertial confinement fusion startup is building a demonstration facility in collaboration with Colorado State University, which it expects to have operational by 2027. Munich-based Marvel has raised a total of $161 million from investors including b2venture, Deutsche Telekom, Earlybird, HV Capital, and Taavet Hinrikus and Albert Wenger as angels. First Light dropped its pursuit of fusion power in March 2025, pivoting instead to become a technology supplier to fusion startups and other companies. The startup had previously followed an approach known as inertial confinement, in which fusion fuel pellets are compressed until they ignite. First Light, which is based in Oxfordshire, U.K., has raised $140 million, according to PitchBook, from investors including Invesco, IP Group, and Tencent. Though nothing about fusion can be described as simple, Xcimer takes a relatively straightforward approach: follow the basic science that's behind the National Ignition Facility's breakthrough net-positive experiment, and redesign the technology that underpins it from the ground up. The Colorado-based startup is aiming for a 10-megajoule laser system, five times more powerful than NIF's setup that made history. Molten salt walls surround the reaction chamber, absorbing heat and protecting the first solid wall from damage. Founded in January 2022, Xcimer has already raised $109 million, according to PitchBook, from investors including Hedosophia, Breakthrough Energy Ventures, Emerson Collective, Gigascale Capital, and Lowercarbon Capital. This story was originally published in September 2024 and will be continually updated. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Time of India
2 days ago
- Health
- Time of India
Sudden joint pain? Here are 10 common (and not-so-common) causes
Having sudden, widespread joint pain can be alarming, but you are not alone. Joint pain, medically known as arthralgia, occurs when one or more joints are inflamed, damaged, or affected by underlying health conditions. According to MedicalNewsToday, causes can vary from immediate concerns like a viral illness or minor injury to chronic conditions. Inflammation can cause pain based on an infectious process, crystal or mineral deposits, or immune system problems. This causes swelling, stiffness, and often pain. Overuse or past trauma, or general ageing and wear and tear, can also cause pain. The underlying cause must be identified to give you the most effective treatment and pain relief. 10 potential causes of sudden joint pain Flu: Flu is a common infectious illness caused by influenza viruses, with symptoms like severe muscle or body aches, along with fever, chills, cough, sore throat, running nose, and sometimes vomiting or diarrhoea, especially in children. While most people recover within two weeks without medical treatment, adults over 65, young children, pregnant women, and those with chronic conditions like asthma or diabetes are at higher risk for complications. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Giao dịch CFD với công nghệ và tốc độ tốt hơn IC Markets Đăng ký Undo COVID-19: COVID-19 can cause muscle or body aches along with symptoms such as fatigue, fever, chills, headache, cough, sore throat, shortness of breath, loss of taste or smell, runny nose, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhoea. Most people have mild to moderate symptoms and recover without treatment. However, serious complications such as blood clots, heart failure, and neurological issues can occur. Higher-risk groups include adults over 65, unvaccinated individuals, people with chronic illnesses, and those with weakened immune systems. Post-Viral Complications: While many recover fully from common respiratory viruses, some people experience symptoms lasting weeks, months, or even years after the initial infection, including joint pain. Post-viral conditions include- post-viral syndrome, long COVID, and reactive arthritis. Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS): This is a chronic condition that can develop after a viral illness, though sometimes no trigger is identified. Common symptoms are joint pain without swelling, muscle aches, and headaches. Other signs include flu-like symptoms such as swollen lymph nodes, difficulty sleeping, cognitive issues known as 'brain fog,' dizziness upon standing, and post-exertional malaise, where symptoms worsen suddenly after physical or mental activity. Gout: Gout is a form of arthritis caused by high levels of uric acid in the blood, which leads to the formation of sharp crystals in the joints. This results in sudden inflammation, swelling, and intense pain, often affecting a single joint like the big toe. Gout attacks usually peak within 12 to 24 hours after symptoms begin. Autoimmune Conditions: Autoimmune diseases occur when the immune system mistakenly attacks healthy tissues, leading to joint inflammation and pain. Common autoimmune conditions that affect the joints include: Rheumatoid Arthritis: Chronic inflammation causing joint pain, stiffness, and swelling; managed with medication, therapy, and exercise to prevent damage. Rheumatoid Arthritis: Chronic inflammation causing joint pain, stiffness, and swelling; managed with medication, therapy, and exercise to prevent damage. Lupus: Autoimmune disease affecting multiple organs; treatments manage symptoms and prevent flare-ups. Psoriatic Arthritis (PsA): Affects 20% of psoriasis patients, causing joint inflammation; treated with medication, therapy, and exercise. Also read | 10 common heart health myths that you must know One step to a healthier you—join Times Health+ Yoga and feel the change
Global News
2 days ago
- General
- Global News
'60s Scoop survivors demand action on 10th anniversary of provincial apology
Lorraine Sinclair never knew her mother. It was only last year that she saw a photo of her for the first time. 'We have a face that we needed for over 60 years, to say goodnight to.' She and her sister Cindy Munro are both survivors of the '60s Scoop. They were taken from their family as children and were in the same foster home for a time before being separated. They found each other again as adults, along with some of their seven other siblings who were taken, but their mother and one of their brothers had passed away before they could reunite. 'We knew her first and her last name, we thought,' Lorraine says of searching for her mother's grave. 'We didn't know her middle name. We didn't even know the day she died.' Even now, at age 61, she grieves for the childhood she lost. Story continues below advertisement '(Cindy) cried one day, and she said, Lorraine really needed mom. And I did, I really needed mom. And she was gone.' Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy More than 3000 Indigenous children from Manitoba, and between 10,000 and 30,000 across Canada, are estimated to have been forcibly 'scooped' from their families from the '50s to the '80s. They were adopted out to mainly white families across Canada and around the world. Ten years ago, former Manitoba premier Greg Sellinger issued an apology in the legislature for the province's role in the scoop. But many survivors feel it didn't go far enough. Fifty-six-year-old Cory Enns described being adopted out and returned to CFS by two different families, and feeling unloved and unwanted throughout his childhood as a result. He says he's had little support in trying to heal. 'I have felt that we have been left out and forgotten,' says Enns. 'They have acknowledged things, and they have apologized for things. But don't forget, we are still here, and we are still suffering.' At an event hosted by Anish Healing Centre marking the 10th anniversary of the provincial apology, survivors put out the call for mental health supports and financial help for families to reunite. Advocate Coleen Rajotte says they need resources even to determine the actual number of survivors. 'We don't even know how many of those kids are still out there,' says Rajotte. 'So, we need to do research, and we need to reach out to these now adults, and say we're here, we want to help you get home.' Story continues below advertisement In a statement, families minister Nahanni Fontaine says, 'Our government is on the path of jurisdiction, restoring the care of children and families to their Nations back where they rightfully and inherently belong.' She adds the government hired a dedicated employee in April to help survivors navigate services for former children in care and adoptees, and their team was present at the Anish Healing Centre's '60s Scoop gathering last year to connect people with adoption record services.
Los Angeles Times
2 days ago
- Science
- Los Angeles Times
How Commonwealth Fusion Systems is Igniting a Clean Energy Revolution
In the panel discussion 'Fusion is the New F Word,' Kristen Berke, VP of Sales, Entertainment & Branded Content at LA Times Studios moderated a conversation with Joe Paluska, Chief Marketing Officer at Commonwealth Fusion Systems and Jennine Willett, Creative Director at Commonwealth Fusion Systems. The panel talked about how Commonwealth Fusion Systems (CFS), an MIT spin-out, is leading the charge in commercial fusion energy. The company is harnessing the power of the sun and stars through fusion, a clean, unlimited and safe energy source with no byproducts. Unlike fission which splits atoms, fusion combines two hydrogen molecules. While fusion has been around for over a century, recent advancements in material science and AI have made it possible. CFS is building a machine called SPARC and plans to turn it on by 2027. SPARC uses powerful, high-temperature superconducting magnets, a technology first discovered by IBM in the 80s. These magnets are key to containing and controlling the superheated plasma—a state of matter above 100 million degrees Celsius—inside the machine to release massive energy. The company's culture is driven by a sense of mission, with a team of over 1,000 people including top scientists, engineers and skilled tradespeople from NASA and SpaceX. They are working 24/7 to achieve what was once considered the 'holy grail' of energy. CFS believes fusion energy is vital to addressing the global climate crisis, especially as current climate projections indicate humanity will surpass the 1.5-degree Celsius warming threshold sooner than anticipated. Their goal is to scale up production of magnets and power plants fast, just like during World War II when we faced an existential threat. Beyond the tech, CFS is committed to making fusion energy understandable and public. Through the #PowerMoves campaign they say fusion is 'humanity's power move'—a big step for the planet. They want to mainstream climate tech and tell more creative and impactful stories to reach a wider audience, including young people, to inspire the next generation of engineers and physicists. CFS envisions a future where compact fusion power plants can be deployed everywhere, and energy can be democratized and resource conflicts resolved.
The Spinoff
3 days ago
- Health
- The Spinoff
Chronic fatigue and me: the reality of a torrid illness and light at the end of the tunnel
The estimates for those with chronic fatigue (now known colloquially as ME) in New Zealand have risen sharply. Danny Rood shares his personal experiences of living with the illness for six years, and what eventually helped improve his quality of life. You may have heard of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis, or chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), a debilitating and exhausting disease bringing immense tiredness, pain, and the inability to do things you once could. Estimated numbers of ME/CFS patients in Aotearoa have risen from roughly 25,000 to 65,000 in recent years. Having had the illness for six torrid years, I wouldn't wish it on anyone. There are many misconceptions about ME/CFS. It's a very real illness, certainly not 'all in your head'. The effects are soul destroying and vary from person to person. Think of it like how your experience with Covid-19 was different but similar to a friend's. A runny nose for you, a razor sore throat for them, and brain fog for you both. You bounced back in three or four days, they took three or four weeks or even longer, but it was all Covid. For some, ME/CFS has them bed bound, requiring full-time care. For me, it was living in an exhausting, painful, anxious fog combined with a bad case of jet lag. The disease is diagnosed by elimination with no single cause, but the misery is felt intensely. What is also true for many is recovery is possible, albeit difficult. I am not here to prescribe anything, dismiss people's experiences, or exude toxic positivity. What I can do is share my story and provide some hope that others may need battling this wretched disease. It is not a case of 'you just do this one thing and you'll recover!'. Yes, I tried supplements. Yes, I tried meditation. Yes, I tried perineum sunning. OK I didn't do the last one, but you get the idea. Some things, like quitting alcohol and caffeine, were helpful but limited in what they could achieve. I never felt more than 70% of 'old me'. On the worst days, I would literally crawl upstairs after a simple task like checking the mail, then spend the day in bed managing pain and exhaustion. Any extra exertion resulted in flare ups, where symptoms would take off. All of this made me quite irritable, anxious, scared, sad, confused, and angry. This smiley guy who would bounce from one thing to another was now a human husk. The spiral It was 2017. I was working in a government job I thoroughly enjoyed and did photography on the side. My wonderful friends helped me enjoy life. I was quite fit, cricket in Wellington's mercurial summers, rugby in moody winters, running, and gym to stay active. The movement continued after hours, socialising and drinking into the wee hours, the candle burning at both ends. Come mid-year, my typically animated self wasn't quite right. After more than two beers I would get a cold or illness. During one rugby game, I had an easy 10 metre canter to score a try but was dragged down well short. That was weird, I should have scored. Why so sluggish? My eyes were often bleary, and I became fond of naps. Blood tests showed I had had glandular fever, a viral infection caused by the Epstein-Barr virus. It'll come right, right? Everyone is a legend with hindsight, but I should have rested for a month instead of a improved. In October, I had a wonderful hiking holiday in Patagonia. I got stuck into the engagement work for the Zero Carbon Bill, an incredibly rewarding and fascinating time. By mid-December, I knew something was very wrong. The best way to describe it was that I felt like I was melting. My legs were hot and heavy, and I was shattered. The desire to sleep was everlasting. Doctors suggested post-viral fatigue from glandular fever, and a few weeks off over the festive season would help. It was a 30-minute walk from my Oriental Bay flat to the office. Come January, I couldn't do it. It was too exhausting, so I chose to preserve energy for work, T20 cricket, and the Milford Track in three weeks. My new routine was to bus in, work eight to 10 hours, bus home, go to sleep for an hour, do nothing, then sleep for eight hours. Repeat. And I was still exhausted and sore. I thought 'this sucks, but it'll go away at some point'. Day three of the Milford Track sees you tackle the majestic McKinnon Pass; 500m elevation gain followed by a 900m descent. Once that was done I was, to put it lightly, fucked. Completely. One friend doing the track with me said 'you look like you've been in a war'. Everything hurt. Searing pain engulfed my legs. My mind was a flurry of knots. My breath was racing. The melting sensation returned. Did I need to be lifted out? Somehow, I finished the hike and returned home to the bus-work-nap-nothing-sleep-still exhausted routine. I limped through 2018, running on fumes. I had developed chronic pain in my thighs, which felt like I had been continually beaten. Painkillers, compression tights, lie downs, and electrolyte drinks made things a little better, but I was still in a lot of discomfort and always exhausted. I couldn't concentrate properly, like I was jetlagged. Frustration and anger joined the party, which hardly made for good Christmas dinner guests. Things came crashing down in January. On my brother's birthday, we headed out for a family dinner. By now, I was so anxious I could barely function. The walls felt like they were closing in. As mothers often do, mine spotted something was off. She asked with concern 'Danny, are you OK?' to which I squeaked 'no', burst into tears and bailed outside. I cried in the car, saying 'I don't feel like Danny any more'. A trip to Wellington afterhours and a very kind doctor helped mum and I understand the anxiety attack, and how the body and mind are linked when it comes to health. Your body can hold onto stress you experience, and I had experienced a lot of it. I was nearly 9kg lighter than I was just over a year ago. He suggested I talk to a psychologist, my doctor about anti-depressants, and come up with a proper plan for my wellbeing. A diagnosis or two The psychologist and medication certainly helped, but the exhaustion and pain continued. In November 2019, after nearly two years of no answers, a Wellington rheumatologist diagnosed me with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. Learning that it is a spectrum of sorts, I was not the worst case possible but was certainly in a real battle. I could do more than some but definitely not live a 'normal' life. Time in the bush or the ocean was soothing and gave me a minor boost, just enough to manage a few days of hiking once a year. But boy, I paid for it, taking two to six weeks to recover. I needed that time in nature, though. That's where we evolved, after all. It also let me photograph our natural world. Some joy there, at least. Fast-forward to 2022, I was managing ME/CFS relatively well with an enjoyable new job in Ōtautahi Christchurch. But I was still battling, and had maxed out at about 70 per cent recovered. I redid the Milford Track, and was sore but smiling as I got off the Mackinnon Pass this time. The five-week flare up afterwards reminded me I had some way to go. Trending upwards By mid-2023 I had met a few people who had recovered from ME/CFS. I started to hope. Maybe I could, too? They pointed me to the increased understanding in modern neuroscience and chronic illness. This article helps explain how chronic illness makes the central nervous system not work as it should. I was a bit sceptical of going on a course about this topic, but what did I have to lose? An improvement to 80% of 'old me' would still be a win. For too long, I had been stuck in illness management mode and not recovery mode. I had carved paths in my brain as a stress response, but they were so prominent I became stuck in fight or flight mode. The Body Keeps the Score, after all. My understanding was that if I could close these pathways, and create new ones then this could help improve things. A combination of things worked for me with big gains from the neuro-linguistics course, which required a lot of work with some confronting moments as well. Neuro-linguistics courses have caused controversy in New Zealand, and yes they are expensive. So,I am not suggesting that every chronic fatigue sufferer would be magically cured if they paid for this course. But for me, who has lived a life with incredibly high physical and personal expectations of myself, being made to confront those parts of myself and working to reframe my condition proved a helpful tool in my recovery arsenal. Not everyone on the course made the same progress I did, in the same way not all medications, antibiotics or therapy are helpful for everyone. Calming my body with extensive breathwork, dozens of times a day, also helped. My lifestyle and approach to day-to-day things are very different from the 2005-17 Danny model of go go go. Te Whare Tapa Whā model wasn't taught in my Pākehā upbringing but is now a foundation. My new thought process for my wellbeing helps identify: What works? What works for me? What works for me right now? I've stopped trying to perfect everything, knowing eight out of ten is usually good enough. I quit drinking for three years, then dabbled briefly in 2024. I'd be hungover from one beer, so am now nine months sober again with a clearer head and sleeping eight hours regularly. Caffeine is an energy loan shark for me, so that is mostly binned off except for long drives. With careful increments, more therapy, and realising that health isn't just running times or bench press PBs, I am about 95% recovered. I would say I have the ME/CFS dregs, a bit like scar tissue. I rarely overexert myself and carefully choose what to value in my life. Progress is not linear. I still have some tough days and need to identify what stressors are causing that. Last month, after 18 months of very carefully increasing mileage (starting at 200 metres), I ran 10km around Hagley Park. It took bang on 60 minutes. Back in 2017, my goal for the Wellington Round the Bays 10km was sub-50 minutes. I was 19 seconds over and furious for a week, blasting myself for it. Now, instead of being furious, I am elated. And in a funny way, grateful for the hip injury I picked up from that run and the physio sessions that come with it. Health is a work in progress, after all.
