Pictured in the first row from left are: Peter Wagner, Senator Stewart Greenleaf (Sponsor of the Senate bill), Governor Tom Corbett, Representative Matt Baker (Sponsor of the House bill), Sean Robinson, Lisa Gaffney, Josie Gaffney, and Kelly Locy. Second row from left: Sarah Wagner, Eric Pauley (Executive Assistant, Senator Greenleaf’s office), Julia Wagner (President PA Lyme Resource Network), Doug Fearn of West Chester (President Lyme Disease Association of SE PA), Heidi Healy, Nicole Sidle (PA House Health Committee), Elizabeth Yarnell (Legislative Analyst Human Services Committee, PA House), Amy Tiehel (Board of PALRN and Region Leader Delaware County Lyme Support Group), Linda Olley, RN, Chad, Katie, and Kim Robinson, Bob Holtzman.
Last week, Gov. Tom Corbett signed The Lyme and Related Tick-Borne Disease Surveillance, Education, Prevention Act, which adds a number of new weapons in the fight against Lyme Disease — and an effort championed by many in the Chester County area, including the Chester/Delaware County Farm Bureau.
Lyme Disease, spread by deer ticks, continues to be an emerging health crisis in Chester County — one the of the nation’s hot spots for the disease.
On Nov. 17, Gove. Corbett held a ceremonial signing of Senate Bill #177, The Lyme and Related Tick-Borne Disease Surveillance, Education, Prevention Act.
The bill includes the first tick surveillance program in Pennsylvania, educational access for affected school children, a prevention focus in the schools regarding childrens’ tick bites on school property, and a new task force to provide recommendations to enhance prevention, educate doctors on current research on these emerging diseases, improve the patient experience, and provide access to more appropriate care in the commonwealth.
I am hoping this will be a step forward for the tick borne disease sufferers, Lyme Illiterate Medical community, and education for our children in schools, home, and parents. This Lyme affects all of us. I hope there will be enough sense to include in education the Lyme Disease assoc. and Ilads at http://www.ilads.org to educate from the field as well as from your bought and payed for government laboratories who have missed the bout on this tragic error in judgement. If you are inclined to ask for help in designing and educating a program. I would be available to talk. Thank you for signing the bill and giving lyme sufferers and our children and grandchildren a chance. Now don’t let the drug companies control the outcome.
ACT 83 which was SB177, creates a Task Force and educational opportunities for the PA Dept. of Health along with PGC, DCNR and others. Chester/Delaware Co. Farm Bureau appreciates the efforts of the PA legislature, both Senate and House, to enact this important legislation. We will support this opportunity the best we can at the Farm Bureau.
DHH