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2015 Volume 27 Number 2
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Singer, songwriter, former X guitarist, and Lyme patient Tony
Gilkyson and his band raising the rafters at the LA Ticked Off
Music Fest. Photo by Sandi Bohle.
Lorraine Johnson with Brent Martin and Dana Walsh of Lyme Less Live More,
along with Sandi Bohle, LA Ticked Off Music Fest line producer. Photo by Tony
Hayman.
Group photo of participants at the San Diego Lymewalk and Run.
the word and making a difference for people suffering from the disease.
“We've got four festivals booked this year, and people and locations are
lining up so that we may do as many as eight festivals in 2015-16. Every
time we play, I have people who are sick with Lyme pull me off the stage
and say, ‘Tonight you made me forget that I was sick.’ I can't imagine
anything more rewarding than that. I also want to let people know that
Lyme disease is the fastest-growing infectious disease in the country —
four times faster than HIV. This kind of stuff is helping to change lives
for the better.”
Keep your eyes open for upcoming announcements regarding
the next Ticked Off Music Fest locations by visiting their website at
tickedoffmusicfest.com.
San Diego Lyme community holds ninth annual walk
The SanDiego Lyme Support Group held itsNinthAnnual LymeDisease
Awareness 5k and 1-mile Fun Run on Saturday May 16, 2015 at Ski Beach
at the Mission Bay Resort in San Diego. It was a great opportunity for
patients, friends and family to network and get some exercise at the same
time. Over two hundred people attended the walk. Brooke Landau, Lyme
survivor and reporter/news anchor with San Diego Six News, broadcast
live from the event. Speakers included Therese Yang, MD, who thanked
everyone for helping her keep her non-profit clinic open; and Nicola
McFadzean, ND, who spoke about the multi-dimensional treatment
approach necessary for recovery from Lyme and its co-infections. An
inspirational Lyme success story read by Jenelle Conklin really moved the
crowd. Over 150 attendees participated in the Lyme Disease Challenge.
Attendees were able to visit health and wellness booths, and eat delicious
food from the “O Truck,” San Diego’s popular organic food truck.
of music and speakers, the majority of whom had Lyme or
family members who did. Speakers included Lymedisease.
org CEO Lorraine Johnson; Nancy Rollett of The Lyme Light
Foundation; Mara Williams, author and founder of Inanna
House; and author, speaker, and Lyme Light Radio host
Katina Makris.
Headlining the musical portion of the evening were the
90’s band Cracker and the Les Stroud band. The remaining
acts were incredible musicians who all struggle with Lyme.
Gregg Kirk and a West Coast version of his band, the
Zen Engines, started off the night led by Jon Alvarez and
fellow UCLA music students. Following them were up and
coming singer/songwriter Keta, fresh off a tour opening for
Sam Smith; Lyme community favorite Alisa Turner from
Nashville; singer/songwriter/activist/author Natalie London
and her band Hey, King!; and LA native and fan favorite
Tony Gilkyson and his band.
The audience enjoyed great food catered by the House of
Blues. All the musicians enjoyed playing on the House of
Blues stage following in the footsteps of so many top artists
who have graced the venue. The event was sponsored by the
LA Weekly, InsectShield, the Bay Area Lyme Foundation,
and Rightscorp.
Invigorated by the positive feedback the concert series
has garnered, Kirk sees 2015 as a time to keep spreading