If you have Lyme disease, or are a family member/caregiver/loved one of someone who does, there’s one thing I highly recommend that you do.

That’s to educate yourself as much as possible about the illness, the symptoms, and possible treatments.

If you happen to be within traveling distance of Sturbridge, Massachusetts, there’s an easy way to do that.

On November 16, the Central Mass Lyme Foundation holds its annual “Lyme Disease and Wellness Conference.” The event starts at 9 am at the Sturbridge Host Hotel and Conference Center.

It will include presentations by experts in many different aspects of Lyme disease and related conditions.

The keynote address is by Dr. Thomas Moorcroft, of Berlin, Connecticut. Dr. Moorcroft specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of chronic tick-borne illness, mold illness and infection-induced autoimmune encephalitis in children and adults.

His topic will be “Healing Lyme Brain: Gut-Brain Axis Approaches to Optimization of Brain Detox and Healing Chronic Illness.”

I’ve heard Dr. Moorcroft speak before (though not on this precise topic) and I’ve always learned important new things from his talks. I think you’ll find his presentation well worth your while.

Additional speakers

Other speakers include Dr. Sheila Statlender, a clinical psychologist who will discuss “The Impact of Tick-Borne Diseases on the Brain and Behavior”; Dr. Stephen Rich, Professor of Microbiology at the University of Massachusetts, who will discuss “Human Tick Bites: Avoidance, Assessment and Action”; and Gabrielle True of ASPIRE, speaking on “PANS: Symptoms and Solutions.”

I’m honored to tell you that I will also be speaking at the conference. My talk is “Survival Strategies for Families with Lyme Disease.”

It will draw from the book I co-authored, “When Your Child Has Lyme Disease: A Parent’s Survival Guide,” as well as my 12+ years as an advocate for LymeDisease.org.

My co-author, Sandy Berenbaum, and I will also sign books at our authors’ table during the breaks.  We’d love to chat with any of you who may stop by.

There will also be presentations by George Popovici, Deb Jodoin, Leslie Barnett, Joe and Cindy Kennedy, Katina Makris, Dr. Arthur Gertler, and Lori Rekowski Tran.

12-year-old Ayslin Bridget Dziedzic will provide inspirational music. And there will be vendors and information booths on a wide variety of topics.

Tickets are on sale now and are $30 each. A brown bag lunch is included if you prepay for your ticket. Tickets at the door will be $40 (cash or check), with no brown bag lunch provided.

Click here for more information about all of the presenters and to purchase tickets.

Hope to see many of you there!

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.