BC Article Link & Event ~ Local woman tells nightmare of Lyme disease

*Any time you see good coverage, please take a moment to comment and thank the author for covering Lyme disease.

Local woman tells nightmare of Lyme disease

Awareness evening to be held in Squamish next week

Kerri Currier / Squamish Chief, June 4, 2015

Squamish is a gorgeous natural playground to raise a family. However, the security I had in nature came to a halt upon learning the reality of Lyme disease treatment in B.C. I presented to the walk-in clinic with half a tick in my arm and was told not to worry about Lyme in the area. I’m now dealing with late-stage Lyme disease, its long term treatment and costs.

Health Canada has confirmed that the southern mainland and coast of British Columbia are endemic for Lyme disease. Many people will never notice they were bit by a tick and erythema migrans rash will show up in less than 50 per cent of people, according to the Canadian Lyme Disease Foundation (Canlyme). 

The foundation says current testing in Canada misses 62 per cent of Lyme. It should be a clinical diagnosis and it is commonly misdiagnosed. 

Featured Lyme Sucks Challenge ~ Ride for Lyme and Manitoba Lyme Disease in Winnipeg

Global News covered Jan Cmela leading the Manitoba Lyme Disease Lyme Sucks Challenge in Winnipeg with Dan and Tanner of Ride for Lyme! You can also see all three in the following featured challenge, which we are particularly fond of (you’ll see why).

Technically this one is out of region, but symbolically, we’ve decided it’s in, since they were just in the region, and because it’s the first chance to cover a Lyme Sucks Challenge along side our featured Lyme Disease Challenges.

Per their facebook post that day:

Thanks to Global News Winnipeg for capturing the largest‪#‎lymesuckschallenge‬ that we(and possibly anyone) have been a part of so far. Thanks for everything Winnipeg, those limes don’t get any sweeter eh?

Video:

http://globalnews.ca/video/2027898/ride-for-lyme-goes-nationwide

More challenges and challenges links here.

ride for lyme lyme sucks challenge winnipeg 2ed ride for lyme lyme sucks challenge winnipeg 3ed

ride for lyme lyme sucks challenge winnipeged ride for lyme lyme sucks challenge winnipeg 4ed

News Release (Link) ~ Public Health Agency of Canada launches public consultation on Lyme disease

News Release

June 1, 2015 – Ottawa, ON – Public Health Agency of Canada

Today, the Chief Public Health Officer of Canada Dr. Gregory Taylor launched a consultation process to support the development of a Federal Framework on Lyme Disease.

This consultation will solicit perspectives on Lyme disease from the medical community, governments, patients’ groups, as well as individual Canadians.

Specific feedback will be solicited on three key themes of the Federal Framework, as outlined in the Act:

  • National medical surveillance: to track incidence rates and the associated economic costs of Lyme disease in Canada.
  • Guidelines and best practices: the prevention, identification, treatment and management of Lyme disease and sharing of best practices throughout Canada.
  • Education and awareness: to develop standardized educational materials for use by Canadian public health providers to increase national awareness about the disease.

The Public Health Agency of Canada’s current Action Plan on Lyme Disease will serve as a platform for the development of the Federal Framework. It aims to mitigate the risks to Canadians posed by Lyme disease through three pillars: engagement, education and awareness; surveillance, prevention and control; and research and diagnosis.

Stakeholders and the public are invited to participate in the online consultation. Comments will be accepted until June 30, 2015.

A Conference will be held with invited stakeholders later this year where the input received through the consultation will inform the development of the Framework.

>>>Full Release Here<<<