In 1993, May 12 was designated as the International Awareness Day for Chronic Immunological and Neurological Diseases by Tom Hennessy, the founder of the now defunct RESCIND, Inc. (Repeal Existing Stereotypes about Chronic Immunological and Neurological Diseases), to memorialize the birth date of Florence Nightingale. Following a 25-year battle with ME/CFS, Thomas took his own life on September 9th, 2013, in Boca Raton, Florida.