By the Center for Lyme Action

Momentum matters—and right now, the Lyme and tick-borne disease community has it.

On the heels of the recent HHS Lyme Disease Roundtable, advocates across the country have a critical opportunity to keep federal attention focused on Lyme disease, co-infections, and emerging threats like alpha-gal syndrome.

One of the most effective ways to do that is by participating in the Center for Lyme Action’s  Virtual Advocacy Day.

This is a call to action for patients, caregivers, clinicians, and allies ready to turn concern into meaningful impact.

Why advocacy matters now

Lyme disease cases continue to rise at an alarming rate. The CDC estimates 476,000 new cases of Lyme disease every year in the United States. Yet despite this growing public health crisis, there is still no reliable diagnostic test, treatment options remain limited for many patients, and federal funding lags far behind the scale of the crisis.

Despite improved offerings from iDart and IgeneX, current diagnostics may detect as few as 38 percent of cases. Existing treatments are often effective for acute illness but leave many chronic patients without meaningful options.

Federal research funding averages roughly $90 per patient, hundreds of times less than funding allocated to other infectious diseases such as West Nile virus or malaria.

These gaps are not abstract. They shape patient outcomes, delay diagnoses, and leave families navigating illness without adequate tools or answers. Advocacy is how we change that.

Why numbers matter

Center for Lyme Action represents the largest organized group of Lyme and tick-borne disease advocates working at the federal level. Continued progress depends on expanding this network. When lawmakers hear from many constituents across their districts and states, the urgency of Lyme and tick‑borne diseases becomes impossible to ignore.

Advocacy works because voices add up. Every participant strengthens the message.

What is Virtual Advocacy Day?

Virtual Advocacy Day brings advocates together to meet directly with members of Congress and their staff to advocate for increased federal funding for Lyme and tick-borne disease research, improved diagnostics and treatments, stronger prevention efforts, and recognition of emerging conditions such as alpha-gal syndrome.

No prior advocacy experience is required. Training is provided, and the time commitment is manageable.

Event schedule

Zoom meetings with Congressional offices will take place throughout the day on February 18. (Many working advocates were able to join last year by selecting meeting times that fit their schedules, making participation flexible and accessible.) It is especially important that members of Congress hear directly from their own constituents, as those local voices carry the greatest impact.

A short series of advocacy training sessions will prepare participants for these meetings and help them feel confident and supported, with additional guidance from state leads. Training details and schedule are available here.

Your voice makes a difference

Together, advocates have already helped grow federal funding for Lyme, alpha-gal and other tick-borne diseases by more than half a billion dollars. That progress happened because ordinary people showed up, spoke up, and stayed engaged.

Now is the time to build on that momentum.