Pat Smith is president of the Lyme Disease Association, a national group based in Jackson Township.
What makes the new Lyme & Tick-Borne Diseases Research Center at Columbia University Medical Center different from other Lyme centers? This is the first endowed center of its kind in the world to study chronic Lyme disease and other tick-borne diseases.
For too long, it's been said the doctors treating patients for long-term Lyme disease don't have science on their side. We totally disagree with that, but now this university-based center will have distinguished scientists who will examine all aspects of chronic Lyme.
What will they be looking at?One study will study the neuropathology of the brain and look at brain tissue of patients with chronic Lyme.
The center will look at new diagnostic tests, co-infections, genetic markers of vulnerability and immunopathogenesis, among others.Is there still controversy over whether long-term Lyme exists.
We don't feel there is controversy anymore. But there are still some diehards in the medical field who feel that chronic Lyme disease is not an entity. They don't feel these patients have chronic disease.
But that certainly is changing, and we are trying to demonstrate change through cutting-edge research. We feel this center will make a huge leap in that direction. How much did the center cost, and where did the money come from?We raised $3 million.
It came from the Lyme Disease Association and the Connecticut-based Time For Lyme (TFL), who were partners in the creation of the center at Columbia. We've worked five years to make this happen, and we are very excited.When does the center open?Monday, April 30.
-- Carol Ann Campbell
Posted by KKYOUNG (Member # 10024) on :
This is good news (hopefully). Thanks for the information!
Posted by Foggy (Member # 1584) on :
"For too long, it's been said the doctors treating patients for long-term Lyme disease don't have science on their side. We totally disagree with that, but now this university-based center will have distinguished scientists who will examine all aspects of chronic Lyme."
Here it is in a nutshell. This is MAJOR NEWS & I'm so elated. Tears of Joy! Posted by Foggy (Member # 1584) on :
Too important not to bump
Posted by ByronSBell 2007 (Member # 11496) on :
tell them to hurry up and come out with a cure before I put some lead in my head
Posted by Anneke (Member # 7939) on :
this is such terrific news!!! I have been waiting for this announcement for a long time. I'm really excited to see what their research will yield.
Anneke
Posted by lymewreck36 (Member # 4395) on :
Byron, putting lead in your head in not remotely funny :-), but I certainly understand the frustration. I have lyme, my three daughters, and my husband. One day they will want to have children, and I know that they can pass lyme to my grand children. There must be a cure before this happens.
Mary
Posted by Foggy (Member # 1584) on :
Not at all, especially given recent Lyme-related suicides. We're all very frusted so outbursts are common. Talk to your LLMD & get help. Lyme can also be about treating the mind & body.
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