Good News From Our May 1st. Key Center Library Screening!

For the May 1st screening of "Under Our Skin" we worked with Carol Dike, Senior Branch Assistant at the Key Center Library to try and get the word out. Carol popped in and out while the film was playing and joined us for our discussion after. Now, I'm so pleased to let my community know that Carol has seen to it that two copies of the fully-featured DVD have been purchased for the Pierce County Library System! Feel free to ask for it at your library, through an inter-library loan.

To the wonderful folks who work so hard at the Key Center Library, especially Carol Dike, we give our heartfelt thanks!

Last Lyme Post of May

I'm proud to announce a Washington online support group for those suffering from Lyme, or worried that they may be. Here's the link:

http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/WALDUC-Support/
Main Support Group

There is also a group for the Caregivers, family and friends who are impacted by a loved one's Lyme disease:

http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/WALDUC-Caregivers/
CG'ers Support Group

The last bit of news for Lyme Awareness Month is the release of "Under Our Skin," on DVD. This Lyme documentary was featured at the 2008 Tribeca Film Festival. Here's a youtube preview, with the website for information on ordering. Thank you for listening this month. Be safe; be well.

Looking At Lyme Numbers

Here is a map showing CDC reported numbers in the U.S.A. You should be able to click on the map to enlarge. That little note under the map is very important...it says:
Note: CDC says Lyme disease is under-reported and that only about 10% of cases that meet CDC surveillance criteria are actually reported to the CDC. (For example Oklahoma 362 reported cases=3,620 probable cases meeting CDC criteria)...putting Washington's numbers up near 2,000. This doesn't take into account the many cases not presenting enough bands to qualify for CDC surveillance criteria but still having Lyme disease. You can see how the numbers begin to add up. Lyme is the fastest-growing vector-borne disease in the world.

For more information, please check out the International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society (ILADS) or the Lyme Disease Association (LDA)