Meeting with Federal Health Minister Jane Philpott: Delivery of Lyme Letters & Petition

AUG 25, 2017 — On August 22, 2017, the Lyme Moms Sue Faber and Jennifer Kravis met with Canadian Federal Health Minister Jane Philpott and Dr. Theresa Tam, Chief Public Health Officer at the Public Health Agency of Canada. 

We personally delivered 2,700 Lyme Letters (115 pounds worth) from Canadians coast to coast as well as a bound volume of the 12,000+ Petition comments from the Ticking Lyme Bomb Petition - powerful, moving and clearly documenting the Lyme crisis which continues to explode across Canada .

​We also delivered 30+ years worth of medical reference literature/research/case-studies documenting mother-to-child transmisson of Lyme Disease through pregnancy - an alternate mode of transmission.  We have been advised that the Public Health Agency of Canada is conducting a literature review on congenital transmission and so we hope that this sharing of information with them will be of value.

When we met with the Health Minister, we shared from our hearts - and truly from your hearts.  We spoke to the truth and reality of Canadians from every province and territory.  We did our very best to represent you and to ask for our Federal Government to engage at a level which is meaningful to those who suffer now.  This means that patient voices, patient advocates and care-givers, Lyme literate physicians, researchers and scientists who do exist here in Canada - must be included in next steps - not just at a surface level, not paying lip-service - but meaningful, active participation.  
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We must continue to come together, unite, and strategize with common goals - to protect, to educate, to provide appropriate and timely and patient focused care, to research meaningful questions, to open dialogue and have healthy debate among experts.  We must move forward. 

We believe that Canada can indeed be a world leader when it comes to Lyme Disease and we will hold onto that Hope.