The first Bridgewater Lyme Conference has come and gone. Hundreds attended the two day event held on November 16 and 17, 2019, in the Bridgewater Cineplex, Bridgewater, Nova Scotia.

The Conference was the first of its kind in Nova Scotia. All stakeholders were invited to participate and there were presentations by doctors, researchers, patients and alternative/complementary health care providers.

The Conference was developed to seek common ground among patients, the medical community, and the research community. It provided diverse perspectives on the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of Lyme and Tick-borne diseases.

The mandate for the newly formed not for profit society, the Lunenburg Lyme Association (LLA), is to build awareness about the prevention, symptoms, diagnosis and treatment of Lyme and Tick-borne diseases, with a focus on the needs of Lyme patients. The ability for physicians, Lyme researchers, scientists and others to share and respond to diverse perspectives on the complexity of the disease; and to seek common ground among Lyme disease patients and the medical community is a key component of their mandate.

The two-day event included a morning just for health care professionals and a morning for the general public. Providing two sessions, with minor changes in presenters/presentations, was seen to be beneficial for all.

There was a considerable amount of press prior to and after the event which can be found in a number of places, including on the Lunenburg Lyme Association Facebook page. The following are just a few:

• https://globalnews.ca/video/6172278/newly-formed-not-for-profit-seeks-common-ground-on-lyme-disease
• https://www.cbc.ca/listen/live-radio/1-27-information-morning-ns/clip/15746640-we-shouldnt-take-a-watch-and-wait-approach-to-tick-bites-says-lyme-expert
• https://atlantic.ctvnews.ca/lyme-disease-conference-held-in-bridgewater-1.4689797

The Conference was taped and the videos of some of the presentations can be found on the “Faces of Lyme Lunenburg” YouTube channel – https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCO3Bd0xDKwUcoBMGyqoDsUg.  A few of the presentations are still not posted as the presenters have not yet given approval to do so.

Attendees were also asked to complete a short survey after the event and the responses have, for the most part, been very positive.

I am very happy to be a part of the Lunenburg Lyme Association as an Advisor. This Association will be ensuring that there will be legacy pieces as part of the conference, including two videos on prevention which are also available on the “Faces of Lyme Lunenburg” YouTube channel.

There is also already discussion on whether another event will take place. Here’s hoping!