News
New Research Further Dispels the
"Lyme Disease Doesn't Exist in
the South" Myth
Researchers report more Lyme borrelia species are found in the Southeastern United States than in other U.S. regions and confirm the presence of infectious strains
October 2011
New research data confirms the Southeastern United States has infectious Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto strains and several other Lyme borrelia species, including the newly-identified Borrelia kurtenbachii, as well as Borrelia bissettii - species that may be human pathogens. Researchers Nataliia Rudenko, Maryna Golovchenko, and Libor Grubhoffer at the Institute of Parasitology of the Czech Republic and James H. Oliver, Jr. at the Institute of Arthropodology and Parasitology at Georgia Southern University presented their findings recently at the 2011 Ticks and Tick-borne Pathogens International Conference in Zaragoza, Spain.
Read the entire report and see the researchers' poster presentations here:
Georgia Lyme President Speaks Out About Lyme & Tick-Borne Diseases on The Dr. Melanie Show
August 2011
Georgia Lyme Disease Association President Liz Schmitz and Fight for Laura's Libby Matthews of Alabama were recent guests on The Dr. Melanie Show on VoiceAmerica radio. We thank Dr. Barton for focusing on this important topic. Help educate others - share this link to the radio interview about Lyme and tick-borne diseases occurring in the Southeastern United States:
http://www.voiceamerica.com/episode/55937/lyme-and-other-tick-borne-diseases
Flagging for a Cause:
Collecting and Testing Ticks May
Help Humans Suffering with Disease
Summer 2011
For the second consecutive year, GALDA volunteers worked with tick-borne disease researcher Dr. Kerry Clark in field studies to monitor and collect Georgia ticks. You can read the full story by clicking here.
Georgia Governor Nathan Deal Proclaims the Month of May,
"Lyme & Tick-Borne Disease Awareness Month"
May 2011
The Lyme Disease Awareness program at the Georgia State Capitol on May 5th included presentations by special guest speaker Dr. Kerry Clark, GALDA President Liz Schmitz, and Georgians affected by Lyme disease and other Tick-borne infections.
Read the full story, complete with photographs, by clicking here. (Please allow time for PDF to load.)
May 2010: A Busy Lyme Disease Awareness Month
May 2010
The month of May was declared Lyme Disease Awareness Month in Georgia by a proclamation issued by Governor Sonny Perdue. Senator Mitch Seabaugh read the proclamation on May 3rd at the State Capitol during a Lyme Disease Awareness event organized by the Georgia Lyme Disease Association and Representative Matt Ramsey. Georgia Lyme patients and their family members and friends gathered to share their stories to increase tick-borne disease awareness in our state. For a complete recap of the event, click HERE.
Special thanks to Governor Sonny Perdue, Representative Matt Ramsey, Senator Johnny Isakson, Jason Skipper, Senator Mitch Seabaugh, Sharon Wilder, Nancy Negris, and Dr. Alan Smith. We are grateful to Georgia Lyme volunteer Windy Blair for leading the Lyme Awareness Month campaign efforts across our state.
Addressing Lyme and Tick-borne disease issues at the Georgia State Capitol during May's Lyme Awareness Month event.
With the help of some hard-working volunteers, several cities and towns across Georgia also proclaimed May Lyme Disease Awareness Month. These included Alpharetta, Roswell, Kennesaw, Peachtree City, Fayetteville, Conyers, Smyrna and Norcross.
Jackie Morgan accepts the Lyme Disease Awareness Month proclamation from Kennesaw Mayor Mark Matthews. Jackie and husband, Norman, were on hand at the May 3rd City Council meeting.
Volunteers Sue Lange, D. Wolfgang, Karl Jahn, Doug Easterly, Heidi Jahn, Jenny Jahn, Mark Ashworth, Chelsea Ashworth, Tom Ashworth, and Minette Johnson display the proclamation outside Alpharetta's City Hall.
Alpharetta Mayor Arthur Letchas reads the Lyme Disease proclamation on May 3rd before Minette Johnson, Karl Jahn, Jenny Jahn, Chelsea Ashworth, Mark Ashworth, Sue Lange, Heidi Jahn, and Doug Easterly.
Georgia Lyme volunteers Seanie Zappendorf, Stephania Bass, and Peter and Windy Blair look on while Fayetteville Mayor Pro-Tem Al Hovey-King reads the city proclamation on May 6th.
After presenting the proclamation, Peachtree City Mayor Don Haddix graciously gives Liz Schmitz the opportunity to speak about Lyme disease.
Roswell Mayor Jere Wood holds the Lyme Disease Awareness month proclamation. He discussed the issue with patients and volunteers.
Other May news...
Support group: Thanks to guest speakers Charles Parry and Susan Sutphin who presented during the May 4th Roswell support group meeting.
Radio Appearance: On Saturday, May 15, Georgia Lyme volunteers Norman and Jackie Morgan appeared on the Walter Reeves show on location at Pike’s Nursery in Peachtree City. The two were on hand to discuss Lyme disease in Georgia, answer questions, and to distribute preventative and educational pamphlets.
Health Fair: On the same day, Windy Blair and Liz Schmitz hosted a Lyme and tick-borne Disease Awareness table at the New Hope Family Wellness Day in Fayetteville, Georgia. Many folks stopped by and nearly every one of them knew one or more Georgians who have contracted Lyme disease here. Thanks to everyone for sharing their stories.
Television News Report: CBS Atlanta (WGCL-TV) aired a segment about the lack of Lyme disease recognition in Georgia on Thursday, May 20th. The story aired again May 21st and May 31st. A Lyme patient first contacted the station to share her story. CBS Atlanta interviewed her, followed by several other Georgians with Lyme disease, the CDC, an Infectious Disease specialist, and Georgia Lyme Disease Association’s Liz Schmitz. Unfortunately, due to time constraints, the 20 + years of scientific evidence documenting the Lyme bacteria here was not mentioned, nor were the insensitive, unreliable tests, the controversy over “STARI”, nor the flawed reporting practices that falsely make it appear as if Lyme is not prevalent here. We are grateful to the kind producer Kara Pesavento, photojournalist A.J. Willen, and CBS Atlanta for caring enough about the health of our citizens to produce this report.
To watch the CBS Atlanta report, click HERE.
Under Our Skin Screening: In honor of Lyme Disease Awareness Month, the Georgia Lyme Disease Association held a free screening of UNDER OUR SKIN at the Mountain View Regional Library in Marietta on Sunday, May 23. A discussion period followed the film. Afterwards, volunteers enjoyed dinner together. What a great group of folks we have working to help prevent Lyme and tick-borne diseases! Thanks to the Morgan and Jahn families for helping with the show and to Open Eye Pictures for the free wristbands and bumper stickers that were distributed to attendees.
Lyme advocates and patients gathered to help with the Under Our Screen screening on May 23 in Marietta.
In the News: The Beacon News ran an article about Lyme disease on May 29, featuring the story of Georgia’s Chelsea Ashworth and her family. Chelsea and her brother became mysteriously ill seven years ago after playing in a pile of leaves in their yard. Thanks to Heidi Jahn and Chelsea Ashworth for their hard work on this article.
http://www.beaconcastmedia.com/May-Declared-Lyme-Disease-Awareness-Month-In-Georgia-2135
Additional thanks go to: Peachtree City Mayor Don Haddix, Smyrna Mayor Arthur Max Bacon, Kennesaw Mayor Mark Mathews, Fayetteville Mayor Kenneth Steele and Mayor Pro-Tem Al Hovey-King, Alpharetta Mayor Arthur Letchas, Roswell Mayor Jere Wood, Norcross Mayor Bucky Johnson, Conyers Mayor Randal Mills, New Hope Baptist Church, Walter Reeves and WSB radio, Pike’s Nursery, CBS Atlanta, Jayeli TV, Beacon News, and all of our wonderful, dedicated volunteers.
Increasing TBD Awareness In Florida
April 2010
On Friday evening, April 9th, the University of North Florida held a Lyme and Tick-borne Disease Community Awareness event. The award-winning documentary, UNDER OUR SKIN, was presented. A question and answer period followed the film. Panel members included Mandy Hughes, who was featured in the movie, southeastern Lyme patient advocates Lisa Higgins, Dane Boggs and Liz Schmitz, and Lyme and tick-borne disease researcher, UNF’s Associate Professor of Epidemiology and Environmental Health, Dr. Kerry Clark. We thank the University of North Florida and the cosponsors of this event for their efforts to educate the community about tick-borne diseases.
Advocates Lisa Higgins and Michelle Brown of Tennessee and Liz Schmitz of Georgia were participants in the UNF Community Awareness event.
"Tick Talks" in Schools Increase Tick-borne Disease Awareness
March 2010
Although in the South ticks are active year round, reports of tick bites increase significantly when warmer weather arrives. Education is the key to preventing tick-borne diseases (TBDs).
On March 12 and March 19, Georgia Lyme Disease Association director Liz Schmitz presented Tick Talks for Kids to approximately 250 Braelinn Elementary School students. The 4th and 5th grade Peachtree City area residents watched a fun video, learned all sorts of information about ticks, and discussed the importance of preventative measures - including taking precautions while in wooded areas and performing tick checks at least once daily.
In March, we presented "Tick Talks for Kids" to Braelinn Elementary School students.
The children learned that, while most tick bites may not cause disease, we can't tell by looking at them which ticks could be carrying an infection. It's important, therefore, to take preventative measures and every tick bite seriously.
Children should never attempt to remove a tick themselves, but should ask an adult to remove it properly. (Not sure how? Proper tick removal procedures may be found on ourPrevention webpage.)
Special thanks go to Dr. Kerry Clark for providing the many tick specimens for the children to examine and to the national Lyme Disease Association for tick bookmarks.
If you would like to schedule a Tick Talk for your school, club, or organization, please contact us.
Upcoming: May is Lyme Disease Awareness month. Make plans now...what will you do to help create awareness about Lyme disease?
Right Under Our Noses...
February 2010
Recent Lyme Stories
from the South
(click on "Lyme Stories"above)
Networking in November
November 2009
November - here at GA Lyme, a time for regrouping, reflecting, networking. A time, too, to be thankful.
The Lyme conferences came and went. We were honored to be asked to write a report for the Lyme Times magazine - a review of some of the ILADS conference breakout sessions. We worked diligently to submit our contribution by the publication deadline in November.
We met so many Lyme advocates from across the nation at the October Lyme and tick-borne disease conferences and followed up in November to get their input. Many shared their experiences and offered ideas such as creating a state tick-borne disease advisory committee or task force and passing legislation to ensure the accurate counting of cases. Some discussed new methods to distribute preventative and educational information. We're currently brainstorming about these great ideas.
Taking the cue from the California Lyme Disease Association, we opened our Georgia Lyme Facebook page this month (and instantly gained fans-thanks!). With the help of Lyndsay Sweeney, we started to tweet on Twitter. These are great ways to stay current on Lyme scientific research and news reports.
November was also a time for thankfulness. We're grateful for family, friends, food and shelter. We're so fortunate: even the poorest in our country are well off compared to others in this world.
And here at Georgia Lyme, we are thankful for our wonderful advisors: Dr. Marcia Herman-Giddens, Dr. Kerry Clark and Phyllis Mervine...a team of people who are passionate about helping others. We also appreciate the wonderful Dr. David J. Volkman, those at ILADS, and everyone who stands up and speaks out for truth and justice. Thank you for caring so much about public health and suffering people.
A final note: be careful out there- adult deer ticks are feeding this time of year. One of our board members found a fully engorged deer tick on her dog on Thanksgiving. Please remember to do tick checks year-round in the Southeast!
Annual Lyme Disease Conferences held in Washington, D.C.
October 2009
This month in National Harbor, Maryland, just outside of Washington, D.C., healthcare professionals, scientists, Lyme disease patient advocates and even many patients from across the nation convened to attend several important Lyme and Tick-borne disease informational events. Read details about each conferencebelow.
Lyme patient advocates Liz Schmitz of Georgia Lyme and Karen Gaudian of Ridgefield Lyme Disease Task Force attended CALDA's LYME ACTION PROGRAM.
CALDAS SECOND ANNUAL LYME ACTION PROGRAM
October 22, 2009
(Click HEREto read news article with more photos.)
LYME & OTHER
TICK-BORNE DISEASES:
34 YEARS FROM LYME, CONNECTICUT
ACROSS THE NATION
October 23, 2009
A scientific conference sponsored by the national
LYME DISEASE ASSOCIATION &
COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF PHYSICIANS AND SURGEONS
(Click HEREto read article and see more photos.)
Southeastern Lyme and Tick-borne disease patient advocates with the national Lyme Disease Association's President Pat Smith. L to R:Liz Schmitz of GA, Pat Smith, Dr. Kerry Clark of FL and Dr. Marcia Herman-Giddens of TIC-NC.org
THE INTERNATIONAL LYME AND
ASSOCIATED DISEASES (ILADS)
2009 LYME DISEASE CONFERENCE
October 24-25, 2009
(Click HERE to read article and see more photos.)
ILADS President Dr. Daniel Cameron at the 2009 International Lyme and Associated Diseases conference
L to R: DCMS Vice President Dr. Debra Trammell, Dr. Kerry Clark, Marilyn Sherlock, Liz Schmitz, Dane Boggs, and Dr. James Hattaway
Lyme in the Southeast/Under Our Skin presentation in Albany, Georgia
September 2009
On September 3, Lyme and tick-borne disease researcher, Dr. Kerry Clark and members of the Georgia Lyme Disease Association and the Northeast Florida Lyme Association teamed up for a Lyme in the Southeast presentation before the Dougherty County Medical Society.
Our sincere thanks go to Paula Bacon and Dr. Melinda Greenfield for all of their hard work in organizing the event, to the Doughterty County Medical Society for giving us the opportunity to present, and to Dr. Kerry Clark for his dedication to getting Lyme and tick-borne diseases more widely recognized in the Southeast.
Under Our Skin Opens in Georgia
July 2009
Retro Theater in Washington hosted the first Georgia commercial screening of the award-winning Lyme documentary, Under Our Skin in mid-July. Members of Georgia Lyme were on hand for a Q & A session about Lyme in the South following two shows.
Retro Cinema & Books owner, Dana Kibbey (l.)with Marilyn Sherlock of GA Lyme. The book store is really cool, the theater is initimate, there's a cozy wine bar next door to visit for when the movie is over but you still want to hang around to discuss the film. (By the way, the pizza is teriffic! Thanks, Richard and Dana!)
Viewers arrived early to get a good seat.Some drove many miles to see the critically acclaimed film, UNDER OUR SKIN.
Tick Talks for Cub Scouts
June 2009
The Flint River Scouting District held their annual Cub Scout Day Camp in mid-June and Georgia Lyme was there. Liz gave Tick Talks for Kids to approximately 150 young Scouts and showed a Lyme Disease Facts for Kids video.Liz discussed ticks, preventative measures, and proper removal techniques. (Remember, it's important to remove a tick properly! Children should always ask their parents to remove a tick. Never twist, turn or burn it! See our prevention page for proper removal tips!)
The boys especially enjoyed examining the Lone Star tick specimen and coming up to tell their own tick stories after the presentation. A majority of the children that shared their stories, told tales about removing ticks improperly. Additionally, after the shows, several adults in the audience reported stories involving themselves, family members or friends, all contracting Lyme disease here in Georgia. This, once again, emphasizes the need for a more aggressive tick-borne disease preventative campaign in our region.
If you would like to schedule a "Tick Talk for Kids" for your school or scout group,please contact us.
Georgia Lyme Disease Association meets with CDC
Liz Schmitz, Dr. Ben Beard, Marilyn Sherlock and Mindy Abel
May 2009
In May, a small group of members from the Georgia Lyme Disease Association and other Georgia patients met with Dr. Ben Beard and colleagues from the Centers for Disease Control of Fort Collins, CO for several hours to discuss the problem of Lyme disease in Georgia. Dr. Beard was visiting the CDC in Atlanta and we thank him for making a special effort to meet with us. Georgia Lyme Disease Association members emerged with a clear understanding that more funding to investigate and study our southeastern Lyme disease cases is needed.We hope to meet again to hold further discussions in the near future.
Want to know about
future events or
contact others in GA
with Lyme?
Visit Georgia's Lyme Disease Online
Support Group at:
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/georgialyme/
These online State support groups were created and are maintained by our good friends at CALDA (California Lyme Disease Association). We applaud their efforts to unite the Lyme disease community.
For the latest in national
Lyme disease news visit:
http://www.lymediseaseassociation.org
http://www.lymedisease.org/news/
Join us and make a difference!
If you would like to help,
check out our TAKE ACTIONpage or
CONTACT US.
"Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending."
-Maria Robinson
