Community Education

One of the LDF's main goals is to enhance public awareness of tickborne disorders. The LDF uses many avenues to reach millions of people every year.

REACHING THE PUBLIC
- Hotline - 800-886-LYME (5963)

This 24-hour free hotline contains over 25 information options and responds to over 80,000 inquiries a year.
- Website - www.Lyme.org

The website receives thousands of hits each month, contains a wealth of Centers for Disease Control & Prevention-approved information, and is a reference site for the National Institutes of Health and Food & Drug Administration. Our Medinex-approved site has been recommended by media sources.
- Office Phone Calls

We receive about 15,000 direct calls each year. This means that on any given day we respond to about 75 calls.
- Printed Literature

Hundreds of thousands of brochures are distributed annually to individuals. Direct and bulk mailings of material to patients, physicians and community education programs helps us reach even more people.

To view the brochure in PDF Format. You will need the Adobe Acrobat Reader. Click here to download if you do not have it.   For a free brochure send a self-addressed stamped business size envelope to: LDF PO Box 332 Tolland, CT 06084-0332

 

- Education Alliance Partners

Teaming up with corporations and groups helps us effectively reach a large audience. Through partnerships, the LDF has distributed millions of brochures and cards through such well known companies as WalMart and CVS Pharmacies. A recent partnership with Rotary resulted in a new 16-page color tick-borne disease brochure. The LDF also works with state agencies, such as the Texas and Illinois Departments of Health.
- Media Programs

It is important to get scientifically accurate information out to the public and specialized groups (e.g. young adults, elderly, minorities) through avenues reaching millions of people. The LDF accomplishes this by working with television, radio, print, and internet.

 

PRESENTATIONS
- Lunch and Learns

These on-site power-point or slide-show presentations are given at the request of corporations, unions, associations, or other groups. The LDF conducts about 150 such each programs every year.
- Public Forums

The LDF-innovated forums are held in conjunction with the scientific conferences and use the conference presenters to conduct a mini-presentation with questions and answers to the public.
- Community Programs

Free public presentations are conducted at towns and cities across the country.
- Health Fairs

The LDF participates in health fairs across the country.
- March-to-Victory Campaign

The LDF's recent traveling education program featured presentations by physicians, researchers, and state health departments in the following cities:

Annadale, NJ	Chappaqua, NY	Columbia, SC	Culver City, CA
Ft Worth, Tx			Glassboro, NJ
Livonia, MI			Madison, WI
New Concord, OH			New London, CT
Newton, MA			Old Saybrook, CT
Portland, OR			Rosemont, Il
San Francisco, CA			Southampton, NY
Tolland, CT	Uncasville, CT	Washington, DC	Westerly, RI

EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS
The LDF has produced numerous brochures, information packets, books, videos, slide shows, and posters to help educate the public about tick-borne disorders. Because patients see an average of five different doctors before a Lyme disease diagnosis is made, the LDF also produces educational scientific material for medical professionals.
All starred ( * ) items are Centers for Disease Control & Prevention-approved.

Workplace
- Workplace Education Program *
This workplace program is designed for employers to educate their workforce about how to protect themselves from tick-borne disorders. Included are an 18-minute educational video for the employer to view, a 30 minute video for their employees (about ticks, disease symptoms, and prevention techniques), an employer implementation handbook, payroll inserts, posters, and the Community Education Slide Show.

General
- LymeLight Newsletter

This quarterly publication highlights the latest developments in research, new products, and updates on LDF programs and events.
- Many Faces of Lyme Disease (book)

This book of first-person accounts reveals how devastating Lyme disease can be and how it can affect patients and their loved ones.
- Faces of Lyme Disease - Award-winning Lifetime TV Documentary

Faces of Lyme Disease goes beyond case counts to show the emotional and physical challenges faced by Lyme patients and their families. This powerful, award-winning documentary rehumanizes this illness by presenting the stories of three families whose lives are forever changed because one or more family members became infected with the disease. The documentary so successfully integrates a wealth of scientific information into the stories that the program won top honors in the prestigious RX Club Healthcare Communications Educational Excellence, a Global Globe, and 4th place in Health/Medical Information in the New York Film Festival (losing out to such giants as Dateline NBC & HBO). The program was produced by Nancy Smith, a two-time Emmy Award winner for her CBS series The Human Body and NBC series Lifeline. Ms. Smith won a Peabody and developed the TV series What Every Baby Knows. Co-producer Terri Randall is an Academy Award nominee for her documentary Daughter of the Bride. Faces of Lyme Disease was made possible by the LDF Education Alliance: BBI Clinical Laboratories, Glaxo Wellcome, Green Light Sales Co., (in conjunction with Wal*Mart, Payless Cashways, Ace Hardware, Cotter Trueserv, HEB Groceries), IgeneX, Pasteur Merieux Connaught, and SmithKline Beecham Pharmaceuticals.
- Tick Wallet Card

This popular fold-over wallet size card has tick pictures as well as descriptions of a variety of tick-borne disorders and proper tick removal.
- Lyme Disease & Pets brochure

Brochure of LD symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment for various pets.
- What LD Is ... Prevention Poster *

This poster provides pictures of symptoms and prevention techniques.
- Tick-Spread Diseases brochure

This brochure includes: rash pictures, testing & treatment information; descriptions of tick-borne disorders; information about the LDF; tick information and pictures; tick-bite prevention techniques (incl. Personal protection & property management); and educational resources.
- What You Should Know video * 58-minute or 28-minute versions
The 58-minute video covers transmission, prevention, microbiology, diagnosis, treatment, and patient & researcher interviews.
The 28-minute video shorter version was designed to show basic information about the disease and an overview of transmission, prevention, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment.
- Community Education Slide Show * / Power Point

This slide-based presentation program and script is used by people to educate their community about tick-borne disorders.
- Lyme Disease Community Education Program *

3-sided tabletop display with a carrying case, What LD Is poster, LD: Facts for Kids video set, LD: What You Should Know video, brochures, originals & handouts and both LDF full-color posters.
Everything You Need to Know about Lyme Disease and other Tickborne Disorders book (Wiley & Sons - 3rd printing) This is the most comprehensive book on tick-borne disorders covering diagnosis, testing, treatment, personal protection, property
management, and more. $6 of every purchase goes to the LDF.

 

Kids
-Lyme Disease Facts For Kids* (video set) - Award-winning TV Special!

This is a set of four 18 minute programs, which includes Dr. Ticked-Off & His Tick Patrol (grades K-3; English & Spanish versions) and WTIK: Special News Update (grades 4-8; English & Spanish versions), is designed to teach children about Lyme disease and prevention of tick-bites. The English versions are open-captioned for the hearing impaired and encourage early learning. A specially edited version of the English program was broadcast by PBS stations nationwide. The LDF sent copies to over 12,000 schools, educating over 4 million children each year. This special edition won an International Communication Film & Video Festival silver plaque. All programs are hosted by Emilio Delgado, internationally recognized as "Luis" from Sesame Street. The colorful puppets, representing various ethnic groups, with two being physically challenged, were created and animated by students from the University of Connecticut, the only degree-granting puppetry school in the U.S. The music is by the Emmy-winning composer for Dr. Seuss & Berenstein Bears. Focus groups of children, as well as viewings by researchers, found that the programs offer clear information in a highly entertaining format, making them enjoyable for everyone. Dr. Ticked-Off & His Tick Patrol characters include Pesky Patty (the tick), Dr. Igmar Manfried (IM) Ticked-Off, Major Tick Check, and Nurse Checkwell. Rover, the dog, helps children remember to tick-check their pets, too! The program ends with a quiz for the viewer. WTIK Special News Update characters include TV anchors Chelsea Checkwell and Don Woods, Dr. Ticked-Off, Wally the Weatherman, and Tony Toughguy (too tough to protect & check, but not too tough to get LD). Pictures from the National LD Poster Campaign add interest, and the program ends with the catchy rap song, Do a Tick-Check.

- LD Scientific Investigator Video Program *

This hands-on program simultaneously teaches children about Lyme disease and the scientific method. Included in the package are: LD: An Investigative Survey on Personal Prevention instructional video, a LD: Teacher's Lesson Plan handbook, survey forms, and brochures.
- The School Program

This program is designed so that material can be distributed to school nurses, teachers, and students. Included are: Wallet Tick ID Cards, brochures, posters, and videos LD Facts for Kids (elementary); LD Scientific Investigator (Jr. High); and LD: What You Should Know 30-minute video (Jr. High to adults).
- National Lyme Awareness Month Poster Campaign
This program occurs in the spring when children from across the nation construct posters around the themes of prevention of tick-bites and how a tick-borne disorder has affected their life. This campaign is extremely effective in educating children and their families about tickborne disorders by increasing awareness. While its focus is on schoolage children, everyone is invited to participate. Health departments, support groups, patients, and scientists also submit posters. A representative sample of posters, selected for their originality, creativity, content, diversity, and expression of theme are displayed on the LDF's site on the internet and at the Capital during Lyme Disease Awareness Month (May).

Themes
- Preventing Tick-bites

Children illustrate one or more ways to prevent tick-bites. Some methods include wearing light colored clothing, tucking shirt in to pants and pants into socks, the proper use of repellents, tick-checks and proper tick removal. This is by far the most popular option.

- Faces of Disease

Children illustrate the impact a tick-spread disorder (e.g. Lyme disease, ehrlichiosis, babesiosis,Rocky Mountain spotted fever) has had on family and friends. This can be the loss of school time or having a family member under treatment.