Fundraising in support of Lyme Disease Action
The Lyme Disease Action exhibition at Sand in East Devon was attended by 90 people who spent an enjoyable and informative afternoon.
Sand is an Elizabethan house with a lovely garden in a beautiful valley setting. The exhibition on Lyme disease was held in the great hall of the house and visitors were free to walk round and ask questions of the
LDA helpers who were present. Every aspect of Lyme disease was covered: what is it? how do you catch it? how do you diagnose it? how do you treat it?
There were pictures of different EM rashes that occur in the early stages of Lyme and also pictures of ACA (Acrodermatitis chronica atrophicans) which is a skin condition said to be quite common in Europe and
which can occur in the later stages of the disease. There were also several case studies so people could see the variety of presentations - no two cases showing the same set of symptoms.
Two laptops carried rolling presentations based on the LDA leaflets. There was even a display of ticks: all deceased, and collected in Devon this summer. A number of people were shocked to see the tiny size of the
nymph
stage that attaches to humans. Most people had assumed that the tick they need to watch for is the size of the one that they see on their pets. To find that it is literally the size of a pin head was quite a revelation.
People came for a number of reasons, but there were several who had been diagnosed with Lyme disease and wanted further information. Although most people were fairly local, some had travelled 30 miles or so from North
Devon, Dorset and Somerset. There were also tourists from Kent and
Surrey.
10 tick removers were sold, with very little arm twisting and the LDA leaflets disappeared like hot cakes. People took them not just for their own information, but also to give to their children and their
gardening clubs.
In all £400 was raised for LDA funds and there are 90 more people out there now spreading the word about the dangers of Lyme disease.
Sand is 250 yds off the main A375 between Honiton and Sidmouth: follow the brown tourist signs
Lyme Disease Action, Registered Charity Number 1100448, Registered Company Number 4839410
Home | Terms and Conditions | Site map