Two important Lyme-related events are happening on the west coast this fall.

This event is passed. Click here for info about the 2015 IDSA Lyme protest in San Diego, Oct. 9-10.

During the first week of October, the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA)—you know, the Lyme denialists, the ones who insist chronic Lyme doesn’t exist, who make it so difficult even for patients with acute Lyme to get properly diagnosed and treated, who make it easy for your insurance company to wiggle out of paying for Lyme treatment—are having their annual conference in San Francisco. Like we did last year in San Diego, we’re staging a protest outside the convention center. That will be Saturday, October 5. Stay tuned for specifics.

Two weeks later, the International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society (ILADS)—the good guys, the ones who recognize Lyme disease, know how to treat it, and are helping our families get better—are having their annual conference in San Diego. (More about that in a separate item.)

In conjunction with the ILADS conference, on Saturday, Oct. 19, the San Diego Lyme Support Group and LymeDisease.org will sponsor a Lymewalk/rally at the park right next to where the ILADS conference is going on. A number of ILADS speakers will come over on their lunch break to speak at the rally. Details still being worked out, but among the guest speakers will be Dr. Richard Horowitz, who will bring copies of his new book Why Can’t I Get Better? Solving the Mystery of Lyme and Chronic Disease.  You’ll have an opportunity to see Dr. Horowitz in person, and purchase a signed copy. (The book is not yet available as I write this.  It will be hot off the press at the time of the San Diego event.)

Watch this space. Details will be forthcoming.

TOUCHED BY LYME is written by Dorothy Kupcha Leland, LymeDisease.org’s VP for Education and Outreach. Contact her at dleland@lymedisease.org.