When it comes to understanding the impact that Lyme Disease has on the lives of individuals and families, there’s no better source of reference than going straight to the proverbial horse’s mouth. That’s why in October of 2014, we launched “The Big Green Heart Tour” – a campaign to bring awareness to the eight hundred and twenty-two people diagnosed with Lyme Disease every single day.
In thirty days we traveled over 10,000 miles and interviewed more than seventy Lyme Fighters in over twenty states. And that was just our first trip! We hope to do many more. In fact, our goal is to show people the impact that one single day has on the lives of eight hundred and twenty-two people, which is why we’re going to keep planning trips until we’ve met and interviewed eight hundred and twenty-two Lyme Fighters.
Check out the gallery below to learn about the Lyme Fighters we’ve met so far (more pictures coming soon!)and subscribe to our YouTube channel to be the first to know when we’ve started posting the interviews (coming May 2015).
Johanna
October 25, 2014: Made it out to Staten Island to meet with the super sweet Johanna who was diagnosed with Lyme in the summer of 2013 after dealing with symptoms for nearly 5 years. Like many, Johanna didn't know much about Lyme Disease before her diagnosis and didn't even think to seek out medical attention after removing a tick from her leg many years ago. She never imagined that the small tick could one day lead to the pain, fatigue, brain fog, and memory problems that she now experiences daily. Despite her symptoms, Johanna continues to work full time and while she feels the pressure to treat more aggressively she also worries about the impact that IV antibiotics might have on her ability to continue working and thus continue affording treatment. For now, she relies on natural methods and her trusty infrared sauna to help alleviate some of her symptoms. Fortunately, Johanna has a super awesome husband who's happy to moonlight as a cook/masseuse/trainer/advocate/all-around-BFF in order to help her feel as well as possible. We think these two cuties are just *presh* and had such a lovely time getting to know them both. Our #BigGreenHeart goes out to both of them as well as a huge "thank you" for the delicious dinner and generally awesome company.