FROM WHERE I SIT

i had an appointment with my therapist a few days ago. i was supposed to start neurofeedback to help treat the baseline anxiety disorder i've acquired as a result of strep and lyme. 

as i was driving to my therapist's office (which is a 45 minute drive from my home) i was hit with a wave of anger and sorrow so deep and so wide that by the time i arrived in her office i was so ticked off i was nearly levitating. needless to say, neurofeedback was postponed and the entire 90 minute session ended up being devoted to working through my feelings. a lot of f-bombs were spewed and tears shed. 

there were several triggers...mainly to do with lyme disease and the diabolical darkness and utter insanity that surrounds it. from the politics; to the general public's apathy; to the medical ignorance; or the blatant denial of it; to the relentless, endless suffering it unleashes on our family and other families. (i've also recently suffered a bartonella relapse which adds fuel to the fire.)  

generally i'm pretty measured in what i say in regards to the anger i feel towards the mainstream medical establishments incomprehensible arrogance and absurd denial of lyme disease.

my anger is very justified but i don't want to be consumed by it. i don't want to come out of this battle bitter. vengeful. hateful. i don't want to propagate that in others either. so i blew off steam in my therapists office. that helped. i've simmered down considerably but as i've been sitting here reflecting and processing, words tumbled from my heart into my fingertips and onto my screen. 

from where i sit...

currently, there is a lyme conference going on in ottawa (may 15-17) i should be there. but i can't be. i can't even watch it online. maybe that is very un-advocatey (is that even a word?) of me. that is the reality. we live the HORROR of this disease every damn day of our lives. sparky has lost 7 YEARS of his childhood to this disease. i've lost 10 years. taylor missed out on his grad and the last several years of his teens. it has ripped our lives to shreds and our story is but one of many. i have huge respect for all those standing in the gap and fighting for change in ottawa.

dear friends and family;

please hear me on this. those folks who have gone to ottawa are advocating for you. they are wearing their hearts on their sleeves and sharing their heart wrenching stories of misdiagnosis and mistreatment of lyme disease to the federal government, politicians and convening medical professionals for ALL canadians. you guys! they are doing this on your behalf because if the current guidelines and diagnostic testing of lyme does not change their stories could become your stories.

in fact, that IS happening. every day in doctor's offices across canada, lyme disease is being blatantly dismissed and arrogantly denied. friends, i am currently walking a family thru the confounding process of having to pay for medical care in our 'free' public system because BC doctors are still misinformed and refusing to treat lyme. they had the tick. the child had the bull's eye rash (which is clinical slam dunk as far as diagnosis goes) and their doctor still brushed them off and said it was nothing to worry about. ARE YOU FREAKING KIDDING ME? my gosh, canada, stop the apathy and denial...families are losing their lives over a treatable and curable tick bite because of archaic medical dogma.

lastly, to my dear friends living with lyme - keep telling your stories and standing up for justice. even though, at times, you may feel like a broken record, be accused of being hysterical or overstating risks, or that the fight feels futile and that no one is listening. YOUR STORY MATTERS. your life matters. your suffering matters. your voice matters. 

you are making a difference.

thank you from the bottom of my heart.

love s.

Canadian Federal Framework on Lyme

may is lyme disease awareness month! 

and this year, Canada is holding a conference to develop a federal framework on Lyme disease on May 15-17th, 2016!  

(OTTAWA, PRESS RELEASE) May 1, 2016 - “This year, Lyme Disease Awareness month presents a time to reflect on those Canadians affected by Lyme Disease as well as an opportunity for action. From May 15th-17th, 2016, in accordance with the Federal Framework on Lyme Disease Act – my private member’s bill that became law in December of 2014 – the Minister of Health will hold a conference to develop a new set of guidelines that will help prevent and reduce Lyme disease-related health risks to Canadians." 

~ Elizabeth May, MP (source)

This conference is being held in response to Bill C-442 that was first presented by Elizabeth May as a Private Members Bill calling for a "National Strategy for Lyme Disease in Canada" in May 2012 and passed by senate into law in December 2014. Bill C-442 called for the development of a national strategy to address the challenges of the timely recognition, diagnosis, and treatment of Lyme disease.  The bill also called for funding for provinces and territories to implement the strategy.(source: Elizabeth May, MP)

“I hope the framework will be an important step forward as we work together to ensure that fewer Canadian families suffer from the consequences of Lyme disease.” 

                                                        (~Elizabeth May, MP)

Everyone worked hard in getting Bill C-442 passed in order to have this conference! We need to continue that effort by showing the government that there is a lot of interest, so please go to the links below and register.  Registration is free and will enable you to watch the conference from the comfort of your home/office. It literally only takes a few minutes to sign up!

REGISTER BY CLICKING ON THIS LINK:

http://www.healthycanadians.gc.ca/diseases-conditions-maladies-affections/disease-maladie/lyme/federal-framework-conference-cadre-federal/alt/registration-enregistrement-eng.pdf

Source: lymestats.org

"Researchers note that the geographic range of Lyme disease- carrying ticks has expanded from a small pocket in the northeast of the United States to a wide southern area of Canada. In light of potentially serious health care issues, this bill focuses national attention on preventing and mitigating Lyme disease across Canada. It offers constructive suggestions about what more can be done to help prevent, identify and treat the disease."                                                                                                                         ~ Honorable Janis G. Johnson 

Anyone, anywhere is at risk for contracting Lyme Disease. Canadian scientists have predicted that 80% percent of Canada will be living in areas at risk for lyme disease by the year 2020. So please encourage family, friends and co-workers to register on-line and learn more about Lyme Disease. 

Thank You!

DEAR RIDE FOR LYME

Dearest Daniel, Tanner & Ride for Lyme Support Team;

There are many parallels that can be drawn between the road traveled by Chronic Lyme patients and the journey you, Daniel and Tanner, have undertaken with your Ride for Lyme.

Fighting and living with Chronic Lyme is not unlike the terrain you have encountered thus far as you pedal your way across this great country of ours - from the grueling climbs of the mountain passes to the long, barren stretches across the grand expanse of the Canadian prairies. 

As you relentlessly push forward through each valley and over every peak, you become more conditioned and better equipped for the trials and unforeseen forks in the road this journey will take you on. Even so, and as it is with living with Lyme, it will never get easier to maneuver the unforeseen bumps in the road - the potholes, the nails and flats yet to be encountered. There are sure to be days that will empty you of every single ounce of energy and you will wonder how you will find the strength to keep going... day after day after day. There will also be days you hit your stride and just cruise along... sun warming your head and wind at your back. 

Much like Lyme, this ride will take everything out of you. Most likely, you will mentally, emotionally and physically hit the proverbial wall - maybe even more than once. It will require more strength, more perseverance, more stamina than you have ever imagined you are capable of. 

Along the way, you will encounter some of the most courageous, caring and resilient people you have ever met - the Lyme patients themselves. And you will learn just how the land and your ride mirrors the effort it takes to live with and the fight that it takes to heal from this insidious disease. We have no doubt that these warriors will lift you up, support you and cheer you on towards the finish line. That is what the Lyme community does for each of its own. And you guys are one of our own now.

You will have to dig deep in order to keep moving forward in your pursuit of that finish line and yet...we have no doubt that you will finish. In fact, you will finish strong and changed. Forever changed. Stronger. Braver. More appreciative of life. Awed by the capacity of the human spirit and body to endure. More compassionate. More open. More aware.  Lyme has a way of doing that to people.

Thank you Daniel and Tanner for being that visual representation of our journey with Lyme & the road to recovery... for showing us that every journey has a start and a finish line. In much the same way that every Lyme patient has a start to their story - stories and lives that matter very much and are finally being heard through your daily ride dedications and interviews with the media - even though, few have crossed their finish line yet...we believe that each and every one can find their way across the finish line. We truly believe that there is a road out of this disease for everyone and that healing and recovery is possible.

We hope and pray that Ride for Lyme will pave the way for the diagnosis and treatment of Lyme Disease in Canada...and that each and every story told along the way will be the spark that ignites a flame of awareness, compassion and care across our country. 

Ride on, Ride for Lyme, Ride on!

With deepest gratitude, 

Graham and Shannon Goertzen
Taylor, Parker, Avery and our fur-baby, Harrison #lymepooch




Info about Ride for Lyme: (source: canlyme.com press release)

"At sunrise on May 11, 2015, Niagara, ON natives, 22 year old Daniel Corso and long time friend, Tanner Cookson began their 8,000 km bike ride across Canada to raise awareness and funds for Lyme Disease. 

The ride began in Victoria, BC at the Terry Fox "Mile 0" mark. The goal is to complete the ride in St. John's, Newfoundland by July 7, 2015.

A close Corso family friend, 24 year old Adelaine, who suffers from Chronic Lyme Disease, was the initial inspiration for the ride; however, after learning the Canadian Health System does not recognize, effectively diagnose or provide treatment for the thousands of Canadians infected by Lyme, the ride became crucial.

"We will be riding across the country this spring to give hope to those who suffer from the disease." added Corso

What Ride for Lyme wants to accomplish:

1. Raise $100,000 in donations for Canlyme for Lyme research
2. Appeal to the Canadian government to address the need for effective testing in Canada
3. Bring awareness to the sympotoms, testing and treatment of Lyme

Please visit the Ride for Lyme website at:
Rideforlyme.ca

Be sure to follow the Ride for Lyme journey on social media -
Facebook - Ride for Lyme
Twitter - Ride for Lyme @rideforlyme
Instagram - RIDE_FOR_LYME

As of Saturday, May 30, 2015, the dynamic duo has already reached Winnipeg, Manitoba!

EXPOSED - The filming of Ticked Off

so the airing of Ticked Off: They Mystery of Lyme Disease is a mere 2 days away now. 

the day before yesterday, i stumbled upon an archived journal entry about our first day of filming...it was a fully written entry - the pictures that went with the story were even uploaded but i never published it. 

why?
because by the end of that first day of filming, i was raw. 

the film crew were wonderful. they were respectful. they didn't overly pry. and we even shared a good many laughs. but every time you tell your story, a part of you re-lives the pain, the suffering, the abandonment, the rejection, the horror
and
that is hard.
really, really hard. 

i felt exposed. i felt vulnerable. and back then, i guess i just didn't have the gumption to make that all public.

and ok, honest to goodness, i will be completely transparent here - posting the story meant revealing i had (have) superficial worries about my hair and certain camera angles...and i have to admit, i was embarrassed to admit that.

i'm putting it out there now.
why not?
some of it is funny. at least i think so. some of it made me laugh when i read it.


november 29,2012 was the first day of what ended up being three days of filming.

just before we left for our appointments with DR H, the film crew came to our hotel.

the reason they came to the hotel was two-fold.
one to have a bit of a meet and greet.
the other to film us getting ready to drive to DR H's office. 
it was awkward. quiet. weird. unnerving.
suppose those feelings are to be expected when total strangers walk into your space, camera in tow and begin to capture your every move.

The Crew from Merit Motion Pictures

what does one do when a film crew is with you?
why, of course, the most important thing to do is to act natural...which naturally feels like about the most unnatural thing to do.

do you look at the camera? or not? do we talk? do we not? and if so, what on earth do we talk about? 
the weather? 
vomiting? 
colonics? 
ha ha.
for the most part, we all sat around in awkward silence.
the kids quietly played minecraft on the laptop.
the camera man zoomed in on them.
initially, they sat there stoically solemn.
then suddenly, they evolved into animated, amped up, hyperactive goofballs.
parker moved around the most he has in about 3 months. so much for representing the worst of what this disease can do. nothing like a little nervous energy to get one moving. 

natural? not remotely.
finally, the time to leave was upon us.
however, i needed to take my next dose of meds first.
i walked into our hotel kitchen.
camera guy follows.
sound guy too.
great.
they are behind me, i thought.
that means one thing.
a butt shot. any woman's worst nightmare.

i was still pre-occupied with that thought as i nervously poured a glass of water and retrieved my pills
suddenly a boom mike is dangling above my head.
great.
self consciously i gulped down a handful of pills.
move on to mixing the homeopathic tinctures i'm on.
drip. 
drip. 
drip. 
those were the longest 15 drops i've dispensed in my life.

finally, it was time to leave for DR Hs.

avery went to put on her shoes. 
the camera guy followed her, still filming.

she looked up at the camera.
cue eye roll.
cue melodramatic forehead slap.
cue exasperated sigh followed by,

"you're going to film me tying my shoes? are you serious? really? how is that newsworthy?" 

they then filmed us leaving the hotel. 
wanted to even capture us walking out of the door of our hotel room and getting into our vehicle.
just act natural. umm. yeah. okay.
it was the most awkward exit of our lives.
we marched out stiff as soldiers on parade.
hup, two, three, four, down the side walk towards the parking lot we woodenly marched.
kids in front. graham and i tailing behind.
camera filming us from behind.
("oh no, please, not another behind shot!" i silently screamed in my head)

at the corner of the hotel, the sidewalk separates into two walkways. we went down one, they whipped down the other, by-passing us so that they could now film our approach to the car. 

do you smile?
look somber?
i'm sure graham and the kids looked like deer caught in headlights
i, on the other hand, was just so grateful to not have a camera focused on my hind quarters, that i'm pretty sure i looked woozy with relief.

graham opened the car door for me.
like i've said, we were behaving in the most unusual manner.
off we zoomed to DR H's office
a 25 minute drive.
black suv in hot pursuit the entire time.
filming from behind
then
zooming up beside us camera hanging out the window

avery ducked every time they came along side of us.
the rest of us, sat stiffly in the car.
should we talk? 
do we just face forward? 
well, clearly, that would be advisable. 
after all, forward facing whilst operating a vehicle is a smart move.

speaking of forward facing...  
my hair was sprayed so stiff that even when i turned my head to the side, my hair remained forward facing.
no flowing locks here. 
no doubt about it, i had major helmet head going on.


beyond my coif being a fire hazard, i will admit the whole hair thing hit a bit of a frenzied crescendo in the week leading up to this. i should probably back track a bit here.
you may recall i am a newly minted blonde...having made the jump from living as a brunette for nearly a decade.

for the filming i was neither.

i was no longer brunette.
but
i was not a blonde
i was somewhere in that awkward in between stage.

i had begun the transformation in august 2012 - not knowing that we would be filmed for this only a mere 3 months down the road. 

going from black to blonde proved to be a long, somewhat terrifying process to undergo. it meant enduring the 'awkward day-glo orange' phase. 
naturally, i was in that day-glo phase when the cameras started rolling.

no. it was more like multiple shades of day-glo orange.
it was a virtual psychedelic rainbow of sunset hues.
sunsets are a thing of beauty...but they belong on the horizon not as a face framing halo.

in an effort to keep reflections on this experience authentic, i won't lie - despite the fact that i am a bit ashamed about it... in the week leading up to the filming, i will admit i had some minor major moments of freaking out over my hair.
i spent an inordinate amount of time pre-occupied with it. 
and visited 2 hairdressers. 
yup. 
two. 
much to my relief, the second hairdresser was able to tone it down.

embarrassed to expose that truth...yet, i'm betting some folks are still gaping at the above photo and will understand i had cause for angst... and several rounds of bleach. even my husband suggested i should "do something" with my hair.

DR H looking all spiffy

we finally arrived at DR Hs office.
much to my relief, he was there and fully prepared to appear on camera.
he'd clearly put effort into his appearance. those that know DR H will understand how completely uncharacteristic this is.

his clothes were ironed.
his hair was brushed.
i'd hazard a guess that it had even been recently trimmed.

clearly i'm not the only one who had thought about physical presentation... and he's a man. 
justifying myself here.

in the spirit of keeping it real, i might as well address the issue of clothing. or may i say, the minor wardrobe malfunction i am terrified may have been caught on camera. i must say that i tried on a few outfits before i picked out what i would wear. but in all honesty, i did not give my wardrobe choice a whole lot of thought...after all, the battle with my psychedelic hair color took up most of my energy.

so the clothing choice.
that i may come regret. 
in fact, i already have.

i wore jeans, a cardigan and scarf
pretty basic and neutral attire.

the entire crew piled into DR H's tiny exam room and filmed our appointments. 
DR H. me. parker. graham. and the 4 men tv crew. camera. boom mike.

the room got really warm really fast.

when it came time for my exam, i shed my cardigan and scarf. 
neurological work-ups are a bit of a work out in that they require movement. arms out. arms up. bend this way. bend that way. jump up. squat down. 

i was bending into a squat when it suddenly hit me
my jeans are a wee bit a whole lot lower than my natural waist line
panic washed over me in a nano second.

heaven help me, i think my underpants are showing!

somehow, every unflattering picture i've ever seen printed in grocery store tabloid magazine flashed through my shellacked head. i could barely focus on dr h's directions after that...

i was just thinking the worst was behind me, when DR H proceeded to give my belly a thorough palpitation and extensive exam.
my BARE belly.
OH LORDY.
i nearly died as the reality of the situation washed over me...there is a massive camera inches away from my gut.

i am an exposed specimen.
(the following day, i made them promise not to use that footage.)

after our appointments, they did a 30 some minute interview with DR H.

i have such gratitude for our doc...his wisdom, his dedication, his (stupid) sense of humor and his willingness to put himself out there. in his profession that is incredibly risky. i have no idea what they asked him. we had to sit in the iv clinic area of the office and were not privy to what was said. darn.

by the end of the day. i was hooped. we had spent just over 5 hours filming. TV stuff aside, it's a long day to begin with. our appointments with DR H are intense and require my full attention. it takes an inordinate amount of energy to remain focused and try to process all the stuff we cover.
add to that, a camera and 4 people shadowing you and it was entirely overwhelming.

once we got back to the hotel the stress of the day hit me. 
and hit me hard. 

panic and anxiety rolled over me and knocked the breath out of me.
my body was buzzing and my head was fuzzy.
my heart skipped beats in my chest
a surreal mirage of the day's events shifted into my mind's eye
they replayed in my head;
a never ending circuit looping thru my bleary mind

what have we gotten ourselves into?
i kept asking myself over and over
i don't want to do this.
it's too much. way too much.

why did we ever agree to do this?
i can't handle this.
i feel so completely exposed. 
i wanted to run and hide. 
i felt myself near the brink of total hysteria.

why did i ever agree to do this?
i threw the covers over my head.
a desperately futile attempt to shut it all out.
the continuous noise in my head just roared on.
i was absolutely reeling.

i felt the weight of the world on my shoulders.

i. feel. exposed. exponentially.

back to the present
so that was how i felt way back in november 2012
and 
i find i am nearing that state of mind again
and
how i felt then is how i feel today
the thoughts are back
haunting me late into slumberless nights

why did we do this?
because this isn't about us.
it's about so. much. more.
it's about saving lives and fighting for change.

i feel the weight of the world on my shoulders. our story is but a drop in the ocean that is wide and deep and overflowing with the suffering of lyme.

this i know.

we must keep telling our story
every. single. one. of us. 
we must raise our collective voices and tell our stories a thousand and one times over or however long it takes until change occurs.

until canadians can walk into any doctor's office, obtain a clinical diagnosis of lyme and be given adequate antibiotic treatment.

until canadians with chronic lyme are treated with compassion, dignity and respect and prescribed long term antibiotic treatment in their own country.

until there is a cure for chronic lyme.

we must tell our stories
until the truth about lyme prevails
and
the corruption is exposed

OFFICIAL TRAILER OF Ticked Off: The Mystery of Lyme Disease

this morning the official trailer of the documentary Ticked Off: The Mystery of Lyme Disease was released on the Nature of Things website. if you don't blink at all, you may just catch a glimpse of myself, graham, sparky and our doc, DR H....no Harrison tho'. (he's currently sulking in the corner)

i also want to say thank you to those of you who have already responded to this post and/or my email. we've heard it is even beginning to circulate through several school districts in our area. that is so important - as children are at greatest risk of contracting lyme. it is exciting for us to hear how far and wide you are spreading the news! thank you, it means so very, very much to us!

in some of the feedback i've received, two primary questions have been popping up in regards to viewing the documentary. i forwarded on those questions to the producer/publicist and they were quick to respond with some helpful answers! below are the questions which are followed by the answers the producer gave me!

Q1. Is there a way for folks in the USA to watch? 

A1. We don’t have a broadcaster in the USA yet, but hopefully will at some point. In the meantime though they can pre-order dvds by emailing info@meritmotionpictures.com

Q2. Some folks don't have PVRS and are not free to watch on Oct 10 - These folks are wondering if the documentary will be airing on any other already schedule dates/times? 

A2. The show will be able to be viewed on-line within Canada on the Nature Of Things website after show airs

keep spreading the news, friends!

TICKED OFF: The Mystery of Lyme Disease

it's official - the goertzen family is coming to CBC TV this fall...in one short week to be exact!

TICKED OFF: THE MYSTERY OF LYME DISEASE

Premieres Thursday, October 10, 2013 at 8PM (8:30PM NT)

on CBC-TVs The Nature of Things

Feel free to email me for PDF version of the press release
sngoertzen@gmail.com

last week, it was confirmed by the producer and executive producer of Merit Motion pictures that our family's story will be part of the upcoming documentary about Lyme in Canada. as you may or may not remember, we were filmed for this way back in november 2012. the film crew spent 3 days filming in our home and also filmed us in SF during one of our trips to see DR H. it has also been confirmed that their interview with DR H is in the documentary.

we suspect that our infamous dog, Harrison Phineaus Goertzen, may even be in the documentary. the entire film crew was enamored with him. in fact, the camera man spent a copious amount of time filming (and cuddling) our pooch. he did not cuddle any of us. none of them cuddled us. after all, they are professionals. given that Harrison is the strong, silent type, we're certainly curious to see how much actual air time he'll get.

friends, i am specifically asking for your help to spread the word of this documentary - and i am doing this knowing full well that i had a serious hair disaster 7 days before the filming took place and as a result had the spray-your-hair-into-submission kind of very fried, seriously brassy helmut head for the filming. trust me, there is no ego involved here. this is about saving lives. our family's primary objective in participating in the filming was to help spread awareness and educate the public in the hope that we can prevent other families from experiencing the horror of Chronic Lyme Disease. you can help us meet that objective by spreading the word to your friends and family. 

How is this relevant to your friends and family?

Because Lyme is the fastest spreading infectious disease in North America & the world and anyone, anywhere can contract it.

Please consider this - a few weeks ago, the US Center for Disease Control reported that 300,000 Americans PER YEAR contract Lyme. Canadian Scientists have predicted that 80% of Eastern and Western Canada will be living in areas at risk by 2020.

Sparky and DR H
no, nothing awkward about having your doctor examine you on camera

Still not convinced to ask others to tune in?

Please reconsider! Public awareness and education of this insidious disease is paramount. We believe the information in this documentary will save lives.

Here's a link to view a clip from the documentary. This clip features an interview with Dr Maureen McShane. Dr McShane is a Canadian physician that practices in New York so that she is able to treat Lyme patients. She 'gets' Lyme because she suffers from the disease herself.

 

http://www.cbc.ca/player/Shows/Shows/The+Nature+of+Things/Extras/ID/2408817950/

i'd really appreciate it if you could help us spread the word. you can email me at sngoertzen@gmail.com to get your own PDF version of the press release... 

Sparky being interviewed 

there are several simple ways that you can help: 

first, post about it on facebook. share a link to this blog post on facebook.

second, email the press release to friends and family

third, print off copies of the release and post it around your neighborhood - eg, library, pet stores, vet office, community centers, health food stores, etc.

fourth, email copies of the press release to your MLA and MP. they need to be made aware that Lyme is a growing national health crisis and a real threat to ALL Canadians. it needs to be on their radar. 

please be sure to tune in or set your PVR to CBC on Thursday, Oct 10 at 8PM!

WORLD WIDE LYME PROTEST

MAY IS LYME DISEASE AWARENESS MONTH!

This year, for the first time ever, Lyme awareness events and rallies will be held worldwide during the month of May. Many events have been co-ordinated to take place on May 10 & 11, 2013.

To find information on events & rallies that are close to you, please visit the website, World Wide Lyme Disease Protest (WWLP) or the WWLP facebook page 

It has been exciting to see this event take shape and spread like wildfire across the world! There are now 30 countries participating!

Canada is among the countries participating with events taking place in many provinces. Please visit the following Marlene's blog, Meerkat's Heap to find information on the various Lyme events taking place across Canada - World Wide Lyme Canada 

BC TICKS CAN MAKE YOU SICK!

A large rally will be held in Victoria, BC on May 11, 2013. Our family will be attending. Both Graham and Taylor will be speaking. You are invited! We'd love to have you there!

Please join us in honouring the first "World Lyme Disease Day", held in 30 countries world-wide to bring awareness about Lyme Disease. We'll be gathering at the steps of the Legislature building, in downtown Victoria, BC. 
Speakers include: 

~Elizabeth May, Green party leader and author of private members bill for a National Lyme Disease Strategy
~Murray Rankin, NDP MP 
~David Cubberley, Canadian Lyme Disease Foundation Director and advocate
~Lana Popham, local MLA and advocate
~Dr Jasmine Wong ND 
~Nicole Bottles and other patients will speak about their experiences

The Victoria Lyme Disease Support and Awareness group is hosting this event, and will be there handing out informational pamphlets and answering any questions you may have. 

This event is crucial to the public's awareness of Lyme Disease, and to our own quest for justice and help in our home towns. 

A small body of determined spirits fired by an unquenchable faith in their mission can alter the course of history. 

                                      ~ M. Gandhi