I’m often asked what’s the best way to get started as a Lyme advocate. And one of my answers is always “Sign up for the virtual Lyme Fly-in.”

It’s an opportunity for you to speak directly with the offices of your elected representatives in Congress—via Zoom—and tell them why increased funding for Lyme disease is critically needed.

The Center for Lyme Action (CLA) will do the leg work for you. They’ll set up your Zoom appointments, train you in what to say and how to say it, and will even make it easy for you to email thank-you notes after your meetings.

More than 250 Lyme advocates have signed up for this year’s virtual Lyme Fly-in, scheduled for February 22-23.

That’s a significant number. But, CLA’s Bonnie Crater says it would be great to have a few more advocates from the following places:

Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Hawaii, Kansas, Louisiana, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, West Virginia, Wyoming—and the District of Columbia.

This is the third year that the Center for Lyme Action (CLA) has sponsored such a Fly-in. Prior events in 2020 and 2021 led to increased Congressional appropriations for Lyme disease—and that’s what we want to happen this year, too.

You are welcome to sign up no matter which state you live in. But, hurry. The registration deadline is February 10.

Click here to register.

TOUCHED BY LYME is written by Dorothy Kupcha Leland, LymeDisease.org’s Vice-president and Director of Communications. She is co-author of When Your Child Has Lyme Disease: A Parent’s Survival Guide. Contact her at dleland@lymedisease.org.