Lyme disease advocacy can come in all shapes and sizes.
In January, a third-grade class in Mankato, Minnesota, learned about Martin Luther King, Jr. and his famous “I have a dream” speech.
In his honor, their teacher asked the children to draw pictures illustrating their own dreams for making the world a better place.
Nine-year-old Lizzy Erickson knew right away what her dream was—a cure for Lyme disease, so that her mom could finally feel better.
I learned about Lizzy’s dream when her mom sent a picture of it via LymeDisease.org’s Facebook page. I re-posted it so all of our readers could see it. Then, things took off! Not only was it liked and shared by hundreds of people on our page, it got picked up by other Lyme advocacy sites as well.
The next day, “Real Housewife” Yolanda Hadid posted it on Twitter, which also brought a flurry of likes and retweets.
Then, Lizzy’s local newspaper did an article. Followed by her local TV station.
Suddenly, even though she hadn’t planned it that way, Lizzy was speaking to a much broader audience than she’d ever imagined.
Thank you, Lizzie, for demonstrating how one person–even a little girl who only wants her mom to get well–can help bring an important message to the world.
TOUCHED BY LYME is written by Dorothy Kupcha Leland, LymeDisease.org’s VP for Education and Outreach. She is co-author of When Your Child Has Lyme Disease: A Parent’s Survival Guide. Contact her at dleland@lymedisease.org.
Dorothy Leland
Dorothy Leland is a longtime advocate and researcher focused on Lyme disease education, policy awareness, and patient support. She has contributed to numerous publications and works closely with medical professionals and organizations to improve understanding and treatment of tick-borne diseases.
Do You Have Lyme Disease?
Use our symptom checklist to better understand possible Lyme disease signs and next steps.
Newsletter Sign-up
Helpful Resources
Support LymeDisease.org
Your support helps us advocate for patients and fund critical Lyme disease research.
