The NC Lyme Disease Foundation is asking
for your tax deductible, charitable
contribution again this year. 2016 has
been an active year with the following major activities. A tentative 2017
agenda promises to be even more active.
- We have this active, operating website at www.nclyme.net, providing valuable information for the Lyme community. Currently, this website allows the public to contact the Foundation for information, publishes helpful resources, and has a chat forum for everyday chat and daily support. In the coming year, our web site will continue to expand and evolve to offer even more information and support.
- About 100 people have contacted the Foundation this past year alone for information on Lyme Literate Physicians, support groups and other issues related to tick borne diseases. We are honored to provide this information to help those in need.
- We have had approximately 300 to 400 people attend our monthly support group meetings in Raleigh over the year. To enhance our support group meetings, we have brought in speakers and presenters for special Support Group meetings: Lawrence Wittenburg spoke on Disability and Lyme Disease; Dr. Neil Spector, local physician, author and Lyme Survivor, talked about an exciting new approach for infectious disease treatment patterned after the modern approach for cancer treatment, Andrew McAfee led a discussion of Lyme induced electro-sensitivity; and Hillel Abrams conducted an in-depth discussion of mold and Lyme Disease; while on December 3rd, Dr. William Rawls will present his treatment philosophy for Lyme Disease.
- We have had several meetings with Lyme Disease leaders in NC as well as officials from the NC Department of Health and Human Services in order to better understand tick borne disease in NC and what is being done on the state level to combat them.
- We obtained a $1,500 grant from the RTI Foundation (supplemented by the money that you have so graciously given) which has allowed us to assist two members with their medical treatment for Lyme Disease
- We have set up an advisory group with varying expertise to support the Board’s efforts.
- And finally, we are building Support Groups where they are needed and asked for. We are supporting a new group effort in Asheville and have had interest in helping to set up a group in the Boone area.
For 2017,
we plan to continue these activities, including our monthly Support Group
meeting. New goals that need your
support include the following. We have developed plans to work with the Friends
of the State Parks to provide signage at state parks and other public
recreation areas to increase awareness of Lyme and other tick borne diseases in
NC. We also plan to apply again for
grants (including again the RTI Foundation) to help with our members’ health
costs. Your donations will help us meet all these goals.
As
usual, the Board of Directors of the Foundation does not receive any monetary
compensation for our time spent organizing and conducting these
activities. We are asking for donations
to be sent in the name of the NC Lyme Disease Foundation to
Mary Al-Akhdar, Treasurer, at 3445 Sienna Hill Place, Cary, NC, 27519 - with
checks made out to the NC Lyme Disease Foundation. If possible, please do not wait until
December 31 to make your donations since Mary needs time to process the checks
and provide you written confirmation of your donation. Thank you again for your
involvement over the past year, and we hope that your NC Lyme Disease Foundation
has provided a useful service to you.
Your donations are important for us to continue this vital work!
