Lyme Disease Association

FREE Georgia Lyme Disease Seminar: A TICK- ING TIME BOMB
Monday, January 19, 2009 at Northminster Presbyterian Church, 2400 Old Alabama Rd, Roswell, GA. Evening events will begin with the showing of Under Our Skin-Documentary from 5-6:30pm. The Lyme seminar will take place from 7-9pm with Pat Smith, President of the national Lyme disease Association as invited key speaker. This purpose of the seminar is to bring prevention and education to everyone in Georgia. Admission is free. All are welcome (recommended teen age through adult). For more information, call 1-678-478-9211 or email richanddiane@bellsouth.net.

LDA strategy for reduction to tick exposure accepted by EPA's PESP Program
LDA is part of the Environmental Protection Agency's Pesticide Environmental Stewardship Program (PESP) in an effort to reduce risks to pests, in particular, ticks, thereby reducing risks to tick-borne diseases. The thrust of this partnership with USEPA is to educate schools and families on the necessity of protection from exposure to ticks which may carry disease causing pathogens. This strategy includes developing tools to be used in schools and developing educational tools for people who have access to public lands for outdoor uses, i.e. walking, hiking. EPA has now accepted LDA's strategy.

	LDA president awarded citizen of the year 2008 (click image to enlarge) LDA President Pat Smith was presented with the Citizen of the Year Award (woman) from the Jackson Chamber of Commerce on September 19, 2008. She received resolutions from Governor Corzine, the NJ Senate & General Assembly, Ocean County Freeholders, and the Township of Jackson. Additionally, Congressman Chris Smith made a surprise appearance and presented a flag which was flown over the US Capitol.
No Photo at this Time	NJ Monthly Magazine 2008-2009 100 Top NJ Doctors Survey “Physicians all over the state cast ballots for the doctors they'd trust to treat their friends and family. “ Rheumatology, Andrea Gaito, Basking Ridge, NJ
	West Chester Magazine October 17, 2008 Top 150 doctors in 65 specialties Internal Medicine Daniel Cameron Lyme Disease Mount Kisco, NY Northern Westchester Hospital “Castle Connolly’s physician-led team of researchers follows a rigorous screening process to select top doctors on both the national and regional levels. Using mail and telephone surveys, and electronic ballots, they ask physicians and the medical leadership of leading hospitals to identify highly skilled, exceptional doctors.”
No Photo at this Time	Greenwich Magazine October 30, 2008 Light a Fire 2008: A Celebration of Giving Keeping Us Healthy Category: Time for Lyme, Greenwich Diane Blanchard & Debbie Siciliano, Co-Presidents
	United Way Woman of Impact by the United Way of Western CT This award recognizes a few women in the area for their volunteer efforts in the community. Maggie Shaw, Newtown Lyme Disease Task Force

Who are Most At Risk for Lyme Disease? Our Children!

LDA Introduces the FREE Educational On-Line Module: How A Tick Can Make You Sick
Designed for grades 6 through to adult, this 4 section slide show module in Adobe Presenter can be opened on the Internet or printed from the Internet. It contains pre and post tests and an audible pronunciation guide. A resource section is also included. The LDA is concerned that a 39% increase in Lyme cases occurred in 2007 and that children are at the highest risk of developing Lyme disease, so we offer this module free and urge its use by schools, scouts, park systems, and the public.

Open Eye Pictures Presents: UNDER OUR SKIN
Don't Miss the opportunity to see the world premier of the Lyme documentary that goes behind the scenes of the Lyme disease crisis.
Featured at the Tribeca Film Festival!
Lyme Documentary tickets on sale at Tribeca Premiere April 26-May 2, NYC.
Letter from Open Eye Crew

Lyme Disease Bill Held Back By Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA)
Click here for video from May 7th Lyme Rights protest at Congressman Pallone's Long Branch, NJ office

Settlement Announced in Landmark Investigation of Lyme Disease Diagnosis and Treatment Guidelines
“My office uncovered undisclosed financial interests held by several of the most powerful IDSA panelists,” said Blumenthal. “The IDSA’s guideline panel improperly ignored, or minimized, consideration of alternative medical opinion and evidence regarding chronic Lyme disease, potentially raising serious questions about whether the recommendations reflected all relevant science.”

Radio interview with LDA president Pat Smith's broadcast today in NJ and surrounding states on Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal's announcement of settlement with IDSA on Lyme guidelines.

For use by any radio station -- Lyme Disease Guidelines settlement reached!
Interview by Pat Smith, LDA president, on Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal's announcement of settlement with IDSA on Lyme guidelines. This material can be used by stations everywhere. Contact Pat Smith President, LDA Lymeliter@aol.com for any other necessary info. (To play, click the link. To save, right-mouse click on the link and choose "Save Target As...".)

Federal Employees: LDA CFC Eligible GOOD NEWS for Lyme disease!
The LDA has been found eligible for inclusion on the National Part of the 2008 Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) Charity list. Each year, federal employees can contribute to charities that meet the requirements of the CFC. The LDA’s CFC 2008 identification for donors is #11424 and Lyme Disease Association, Inc. will appear in the listing of National/International Independent Organizations which is published in each local campaign charity list. See your federal employer for details. Check the CFC website at: http://www.opm.gov/cfc/. [LDA also made the 2006 & 2007 CFC campaign and thanks to all those who have been contributing.]

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Framingham, Massachusetts April 12 garden in the Woods Lyme Forum sponsored by The Underground & New England Wildflower Society
Lyme Disease Association President Pat Smith ( C) is flanked by Massachusetts activists Rose Cruz (L) and Shelia Statlender, PhD (R). Standing are Rolf Briggs, certified tree expert, President of Tree Specialists; Jeanne Hubbuch, MD, family practitioner from Newton, MA; and Dori Smith owner, Garden of Life. Ms. Smith, Dr. Hubbuch and Mr. Briggs spoke about Lyme disease, with Ms. Smith addressing the surveillance and prevalence issues, canine Lyme and other tick-borne diseases in Massachusetts, prevention, and what is being done by government.

Lyme Groups Tell Congress About Lyme Controversy
LDA and its associated organizations faxed the following letters to Congress last week in response to a letter to Congress opposing the bills by IDSA.
LDA Senate Letter LDA House Letter

LDA Maps Lyme Across the USA – View Reported Case Numbers with a click!
Individual maps from 1990 through 2007 and total case number map 1990-2007 including state reporting criteria changes. Click on individual states for a pop up case number table and an incidence map. All have printer-friendly versions.

2007 Conference DVD now available!
Lyme & Tick-Borne Diseases: Bridging the Medical Chasm, Boston 2007
Includes Lyme Treatment Debate
Conference DVD now available featuring a dozen speakers on areas impacting tick-borne diseases including the debate, Treatment Controversies: Lyme Disease with Ray Stricker, MD (President, International Lyme & Associated Diseases Society) Treatment the ILADS Perspective; and Paul Auwaerter, MD, (Associate Professor in the Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University) Treatment the IDSA Perspective.

New Jersey Case numbers/rates by County
The reported numbers in this chart, which come from the NJ Department of Health, show a per county breakdown of Lyme disease cases in New Jersey by numbers of cases and rates of incidence from 2000-2006. The CDC has indicated that only 10% of cases that meet its surveillance definition are actually reported, thus true numbers may be 10 times higher than these reported numbers.

Author Rebecca Wells Speaks out on the Columbia University Lyme Research Center
Author Rebecca Wells on Lyme disease and the opening of the Lyme & Tick-Borne Diseases Research Center at Columbia University (5 minute video, the first two black screens have no sound)

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(L to R) Pat Parke, Public Health Educator, Rockland County Department of Health; Pat Smith, LDA President; Lia McCabe, LDA volunteer at Rockland County Vector-Borne Disease Advisory Committee meeting in Rockland County, NY in September, 2007. Ms. Smith presented an update on the spread and impact of Lyme disease across the country to the Advisory Committee.

View Mary McDonnell, star of the Peabody Award Winning TV show BattleStar Galactica in a PSA on Lyme Disease. Ms. McDonnell stars as President Laura Roslin in the popular sci-fi series. She has starred in a number of movies including her Oscar-nominated roles in Dances with Wolves and Passion Fish. She serves as LDA's national spokesperson on Lyme disease.

New IDSA Guidelines Effectively Stopping Treatment for Lyme Patients: SIGN PETITION HERE
The new IDSA guidelines published in October by the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) are already causing patients to be denied treatment for chronic Lyme disease. The guidelines have recommended against any long term treatments, listing numerous specific antibiotic classes not to be given, listing alternative treatments and even supplements not to be offered to Lyme patients. Clinical discretion has been removed from treating physicians. We ask that you, your families, and friends across the country sign this petition immediately. Lyme treatment is at stake.

Petition Information: The petition on this website is for those 18 years and older to sign. Names and addresses will NOT appear on the internet but will be printed out with the petition when it is ready to be presented to the appropriate entity. LDA never sells names, nor shares them with marketers. The petition will be used in an effort to advance our cause at the appropriate time and will be kept private until that time. Remember, like many of you, LDA is all patients and families of patients ─ and all volunteer.

Other actions will be forthcoming. Please watch this site for details as our campaign for patients' right to be treated unfolds.

Federal Lyme Bill HR 741:

Congressman Smith helped us by introducing the Lyme bill. Let's help him to get this bill passed!
Lyme & Tick-Borne Disease Prevention, Education & Research Act of 2007

This bill was introduced into the US House of Representatives on January 31, 2007 by Congressman Christopher H. Smith (NJ). The bill is identical to last year's House bill (HR 3427) except for updated dates in the bill. We need your help now. Click on the link to get information on the Smith/Stupak bill, (history, co-sponsors, who to contact). Lyme disease desperately needs the $100 million over 5 years that this bill provides for research, physician education, prevention, and task force formation.

Statement from Pat Smith, President, Lyme Disease Association
Historic Move by CT Attorney General to Investigate IDSA Guidelines Process
Gives Hope to Thousands of Lyme Disease Patients

HARTFORD, CT Nov. 16 ─ The national non-profit Lyme Disease Association (LDA), representing more Lyme disease patients than any organization in the United States, applauds Connecticut State Attorney General Richard Blumenthal for beginning an investigation into the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) Lyme disease guidelines development process. In an unprecedented move, the Attorney General’s office filed a Civil Investigative Demand (CID) to look into possible anti-trust violations by the IDSA in connection with exclusionary conduct and monopolization in the development of the Lyme guidelines.

Literati with Lyme Book Sale:
Buy books with signed bookmarks from the authors. Support LDA’s Lyme disease research and education efforts! Order Today.

Acclaimed Literati with Lyme Authors Amy Tan, Meg Cabot, and Jordan Fisher Smith are part of LDA’s Literati with Lyme team. Literati with Lyme is an effort by nationally-known authors, publishers, editors, literary agents, other publishing professionals, and the national non-profit Lyme Disease Association to raise awareness of this growing infectious disease threat and to raise research funds for a cure.

Lyme Disease Association introduces you to the lineup for: Literati with Lyme
For the first time, four nationally acclaimed authors and an executive editor are sharing the stage with two prominent medical authorities on Lyme for a firsthand account of the disease and its impact on peoples’ lives and livelihoods. Thursday, May 19, 2005, 7-10PM, the Lyme Disease Association (LDA) will host Literati with Lyme, a fundraising event at New York University, entitled “Writer’s Block of the Worst Kind.” The event is featuring Literati who have all had Lyme disease: Amy Tan (The Joy Luck Club and movie); Meg Cabot (The Princess Diaries series and movies); E Jean Carroll (advice columnist for Elle Magazine); Jordan Fisher Smith (Nature Noir: A Park Ranger’s Patrol in the Sierra); and Jennifer Weis (executive editor St. Martin’s Press).

New Book for kids with Lyme Disease - BUY BOOK ONLINE
Lyme Disease Is No Fun: Let’s Get Well! written by Mary Wall MS Ed, CCLS, a Columbia graduate student, edited by Colleen M. Smith, a peer-review medical journal production editor and Johns Hopkins grad─each has battled Lyme disease as a child. Author Amy Tan has written the back cover note. Published by Lyme Disease Association, Inc.

Lyme Disease Update Now Available
Lyme Disease Association, Inc., (LDA) announces the publication of Lyme Disease Update: Science, Policy, & Law, the first Lyme disease resource book of its kind. Marcus Cohen, noted columnist for the Townsend Letter for Physicians & Patients is the author of the Update. NY Times Bestselling Author Amy Tan has written the Preface from her personal perspective on the difficulty of getting diagnosed and appropriately treated for Lyme disease.

The book is a must for busy physicians who lack time to read the peer-review on Lyme disease and for patients who have been refused treatment or even a Lyme diagnosis, the doctor perhaps citing a negative test (the book documents seronegativity) or the patients’ lack of conformity to the CDC criteria, which are meant for surveillance purposes only─the reference is cited in the Update.

Lyme Disease Association News Archives