Maryland Lyme - May Awareness

May is Lyme Disease Awareness Month!

Working Together To Help

Raise Lyme Disease Awareness!

Very Good Way To Educate!

Write a Letter To The Editor of your local newspaper to tell readers about Lyme disease and/or Lyme Disease Awareness Month. This is the best way to reach thousands of people in your local area and it doesn't cost you a cent. And another perk, you can do it from the comfort of your own home!

Talking points can focus around prevention tips, the fact standard lab tests miss 74.9% of those with Lyme disease, your local support group's activities, information for pet owners, children being at high risk for getting Lyme disease, or some of the frequently asked questions. If you want more ideas the fact sheet or free handout literature pages may be of help.

Keep your letter under 200 words to have a better chance of being published. You might want to call your paper's editor in advance and tell them that you are sending them a letter with Lyme information because May is Lyme Disease Awareness Month.

Thank you for helping to raise Lyme Disease Awareness!

Each One Reach One!

Lucy Barnes

AfterTheBite@gmail.com

Only Have a Few Minutes to Spare

Or Can't Get Out Much?

*Email, tweet or Facebook a Maryland Lyme Disease Fact Sheet link to local businesses and your friends that may have an interest or need to know.

*Share information on tick borne diseases with friends who have pets and other animals.

*Educate health care professionals in your area by sending them a link to the 50 most frequently asked questions page.

*Share the Doctor Referral Information with someone you know who is looking for help with Lyme disease.

*Send (email, tweet, face book) the Prevention link to anyone you know who will be outdoors.

*Send the Help For You link to those you know who have Lyme disease.

*Attend a local Lyme disease program and bring a friend or ten.

MORE IDEAS

Free Or Low Cost

*Tie Lyme green ribbons on trees in your yard, at your business, on your car, or on your home.

*Attach Lyme green ribbons, bumper stickers or a support magnet to your car. Make your own, or a list of items to purchase can be found here.

*Drop off Lyme disease literature at convenient stores, gas stations, pharmacies and schools.

*Tack up Lyme disease literature on local bulletin boards (with permission).

*Make Lyme disease signs to display in your yard or at your business to raise awareness.

*Wear your Lyme green tee shirts, bracelets and sweat shirts. Ideas here.

*Contact your local newspapers & media outlets to tell your Lyme disease story.

*Contact parks, camps and businesses with outdoor workers and share Lyme info.

*Hand out Lyme literature at baseball games, soccer and other sporting events.

*Contact businesses in your local area and get your short Lyme article in their newsletters.

*Give gift baskets to relatives and friends to prevent them from getting Lyme disease. In the baskets you can put tick remover tools, repellent, literature, tick shampoo for pets, (and chocolate, of course), etc.

Need More Ideas?

The list below have projects that were done in the past by Maryland patients and our volunteer groups.

*Presented Lyme programs for local churches and places of worship.

* Wrote short articles ad encouraged local churches to put an announcement in their bulletin about Lyme Disease Awareness Month and where to get information.

*Made tick posters and placed them around town.

*Put Lyme literature and books in local libraries- asked for permission first.

*Attended health fairs and various outdoor events to hand out literature.

*Distributed Lyme literature at farmer's markets and flea markets.

*Presented talks at local animal shelters and shared literature.

*Invited guest speakers to talk about Lyme disease at support group meetings.

*Contacted local news stations with Lyme disease messages.

*Sent out information on the LDA's Lyme-Aid-4 Kids program to help raise funds for the children with tick borne diseases to be diagnosed and treated.

*Distributed Lyme disease literature to golf courses.

*Assisted with tick collecting for scientific research.

*Shared the Spanish version of "Lyme Disease Basic Book" and the link to foreign language information with residents.

*Made you-tubevideos for Lyme disease.

*Organized showings of Under Our Skin, the award winning Lyme disease documentary.

*Designed and assisted with building new websites and blogs to promote Lyme disease awareness.

*Shared Lyme disease literature at the workplace.

*Announced Lyme Disease Awareness Month programs at worship services and local civic organization meetings.

*Motorcycle ride with Lyme green messages, banners and literature available.

*Worked with local governments on their annual proclamations or certificates commemorating Lyme Disease Awareness Month. Attended public presentations.

*Sponsored surveys to gather information from local residents about Lyme disease and tick populations.

*Spoke to local hunting and archery groups and shared literature.

*Handed out literature at local fishing holes to other fishermen.

*Put Lyme literature in hospital waiting rooms and doctor's offices.

*Presented Lyme Disease programs for nurses and doctors.

*Presented a Lyme Disease program for teachers in local schools.

*Organized and participated in the Racing Lyme Disease Awareness Campaign and voted on our race car.

Last Updated- April 2021

Lucy Barnes

AfterTheBite@gmail.com