On Friday, April 26, we are hosting our fifth annual Midcoast Lyme Disease Support & Education conference at the Augusta Civic Center from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Doors open at 7 a.m. for registration and admission is free.

That’s right ... Admission is free!

We have outgrown our time at the Wiscasset Community Center and are thankful for all that they did to support us and our endeavors while we quickly grew into a state-wide free resource. When we held our first Lyme conference in 2015, we had 350 people attend. Last year, we had moved the venue to the Augusta Civic Center because things are gotten quite snug at the Community Center with all the speakers, exhibitors and attendees and out attendance was just under 900 with people coming from 17 different U.S. states and parts of Canada.

So, what is the big draw? Well, I’m glad that you asked…

With Lyme and tick-borne disease difficult to diagnosis and treat, we network with those who stay on the cutting edge of technology and the advancement of tests and education in order to best know how to help people and to get them connected to the right resources. If you’ve been reading my column, you know that the medical community is divided and who you see will absolutely determine the level of care that you get. I don’t say that to snub any particular medical provider, only the ones who cling to outdated guidelines and antiquated treatment protocols and because Maine is so endemic, everyone deserves to see a provider who knows how to properly diagnosis and treat a tick-borne disease.

That is why we host our conference every year and bring in experts in the field of Lyme and tick-borne diseases with knowledge ranging from pediatrics to mental health to new lab tests and supportive treatment options. Because of the great medical divide, many are finding that their insurances are denying their office visits and ongoing treatments. So, I ask, who is going to step up and help these people?

No, I don’t have a hero complex. I am just a survivor of late stage neurological Lyme disease and four other tick-borne disease co-infections, misdiagnosed by 23 doctors and specialists who had no idea what a patient who had more than tick-borne disease looked like and didn’t understand the complexity of symptoms or how they would present. Instead, I was told that I need to see a counselor and practice yoga.

That is why we host our annual conference and why admission is free. So that patients who need to be connected to life saving resources can do so and so that medical providers who want to learn more about tick-borne disease and new lab tests and treatment options can do so.

Our morning speakers with give us updates on what’s happening at local, state and federal levels. Dr. Kristen Honey from U.S. Dept of Health & Human Services, Pat Smith, president of the National Lyme Disease Association, and Dr. Liz Yori ND, president of Maine Association of Naturopathic Doctors (MAND) will update us on Maine Law LD1030 the Non-Discrimination in Healthcare Act and what that means to us. Griffin Dill from the Univ. of Maine Coop Extension will share on Maine’s Tick Lab that is finally open and we will hear the latest testing from Igenex. We will hear many personal stories from those touched by Lyme and how they overcame and what they are doing to better the lives of others.

Our afternoon is packed with expert speakers: Dr. Darin Ingels speaking about natural treatments, Dr. Robert Bransfield sharing his study on Neuropsychiatric Lyme/tick-borne disease and mental health, Beth Carrison sharing about Alpha-Gal Syndrome (also known as the red-meat allergy), and Prof. Holly Ahern talking about the diagnostic problems and issues. Our keynote speaker is Dr. Tom Moorcroft, DO from Origins of Health in Connecticut and he’ll be sharing about the brain-gut connections, detoxification and healing chronic illness.

The day is packed full of education and direct access to resources and is free to all who attend, thanks to the many sponsors that have reached out to us and have offered their financial support: Lyme Disease Assoc, Sawyer Products, Townsquare Media, Rawls MD, Armin Labs, Nutramedix, LivLyme Foundation, IGeneX, MAND, Mid-Coast Energy Systems, Access Health Renewal, Kennebec Pharmacy & Home Care, Mainely Ticks, Xymogen, Global Lyme Alliance, Jones Property Mgmt., Medical Bill Gurus, Bay Area Lyme Foundation, Quidel Corp and Beyond Balance.

It has been 10 years since I was introduced to the world of ticks and tick-borne disease and five years since I became an advocate. I wouldn’t be here today if not for the help from many who participate and/or attend our conference and it is my great pleasure to host this annual event and connect patients and providers to much needed resources.

For more information about the conference, the full agenda, lodging, food menu and the list of Community Partners and Exhibitors who will be there, visit Conference2019.mldse.org

Again, Friday, April 26 at the Augusta Civic Center, doors open at 7 a.m. and I hope to see you there!

Paula is the president of the MLDSE, the co-chair of the Access to Care Services and Patient Support subcommittee of the Federal HHS Tick-borne Disease Working Group, the Maine-partner of the national Lyme Disease Association, member of Maine’s CDC Vector-borne Workgroup and active in Maine’s Lyme legislation. You can reach her at paula@mldse.org or visit www.mldse.org