More than 380 Lyme disease advocates from 45 states put on their special green neck scarves and zoomed with congressional offices this week.

Their goal? To educate their elected representatives and urge them to increase federal funding for Lyme disease research.

This is the fifth year the Center for Lyme Action has sponsored the annual Lyme Fly-in, and the fourth year it’s been held virtually. Since the CLA formed in 2019, federal funding for Lyme disease has increased $282 million. (A good start, but much more is needed!)

The virtual Lyme Fly-In is also a chance for Lyme advocates to connect with each other–and spread the word on social media. Here are some of my favorite posts I found online:

TOUCHED BY LYME is written by Dorothy Kupcha Leland, President of LymeDisease.org. She is co-author of Finding Resilience: A Teen’s Journey Through Lyme Disease and of When Your Child Has Lyme Disease: A Parent’s Survival Guide. Contact her at dleland@lymedisease.org.