City proclaims Lyme Disease Awareness Month in Red Deer

May is now officially Lyme Disease Awareness Month in Red Deer.

A proclamation ceremony held at Red Deer City Council Chambers on Thursday marked the first time the City of Red Deer has formally recognized the month.

For the head of the local chapter of the Lyme Disease Association of Alberta, the moment was amazing.

“We only formed the Red Deer support group in June 2016. Since then, we’re 70 members strong,” says Echo Armstrong, who first became ill in 2008, but wasn’t diagnosed until 2015.

She says a delay like that is just one example of what Lyme patients are forced to deal with as medical professionals hum and haw over whether chronic Lyme is a legitimate sickness.

project will take one year

Construction activity to start on hospital parkade expansion

5h ago

Red Deer man charged after police locate stolen vehicle

5h ago

City and County to collaborate on regional economic development with NRED grant

7h ago

“That’s after you’ve received your initial bite and just three weeks of antibiotics. The problem is a lot of people don’t get better after that initial treatment, but the medical establishment believes that we’re well because the testing in Canada is faulty,” she explains. “It’ll say there’s no longer an infection, but really, many of us don’t get well.”

Armstrong also spoke about Bill C-442, introduced in 2014 by Green Party of Canada leader Elizabeth May. She says though the bill has since become law, the framework derived from it is inadequate. Armstrong says it doesn’t address faulty testing or doctors who are open to helping patients outside the establishment.

“The biggest thing right now would be to call your MP and let them know that this framework is not going to work for Red Deerians, Albertans or Canadians, and to pressure Health Canada to go back and put adequate measures in place to fight this disease,” she says.

“It costs a lot of money for one of us. We’re losing our life savings, some of us are on AISH. If we could get treatment, we could get well and be more productive citizens.”

Red Deer City Councillor Dianne Wyntjes has offered some support to the group by attending a recent meeting. She adds, “I left the meeting challenged by what we could do for them. For me, it is about awareness. I think about the many citizens who enjoy our community on the parks and trails, who go camping and hiking, and one of the most important things is prevention.”

The group meets the last Thursday of each month from 6:30 to 8:30 at the Red Deer Museum.

They are also hosting a number of events this month which are open to the public. The lineup starts with a double movie night at the Red Deer Museum on May 14 from 1 to 5 p.m. The films Under Our Skin and Under Our Skin 2: Emergence will be shown. Tickets are $10 each or two for $15 with proceeds going to the LDAA and the support group.

On May 25 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. also at the Red Deer Museum, there will be an information and fundraiser night featuring keynote speakers Dr. Shaun Riddle ND and Dr. Ralph Hawkins MD. Participation is by donation.

For more information on Lyme disease and what you can do to prevent it, visit AlbertaLyme.org.