We are delighted to announce the launch of a new UK based charity, Vis-a-Vis Symposiums. The first London Tick-Borne Disease Symposium was privately funded and held in June 2014 and now that the charity has been established, the aim is to hold regular educational events on this subject. Patrons include scientists, vets and the famous jockey Frankie Dettori, MBE. LDUK wishes the charity all the best with fundraising and we will be helping to publicise events and news from Vis-a-Vis Symposiums as much as possible. The charity website is a goldmine of useful information and scientific references.
‘A warm welcome to Vis-a-Vis Symposiums. We are a small charity focusing on the welfare of patients whose lives have been decimated, courtesy of a tick. A parasite so invasive, with the capability to destroy and reduce formerly active healthy humans, and their companion animals, to lives of complete devastation and miserable existences.
Quoting from a patient, and echoed by thousands of others globally;
“ Lyme won’t kill you………… but there are days when you wish it would”
Correction: in extreme cases tick-borne diseases will kill you – that is why you need to know about them.
Tick associated health problems are increasing at an alarming rate throughout the world. The level of worldwide travel is extensive, meaning more exposure to the various vector- borne infections not usually considered a problem in the UK. The UK is certainly not the ‘sterile’ land that it is perceived to be. The current and future situation, at home, and abroad, regarding the impact of harmful vectors needs urgent consideration and education to avoid serious and prolonged future health problems.
Our first symposium was held in June 2014. It was funded and organized by a patient, and the event was supported both by patients, and a team of dedicated USA tick-borne disease specialists. We joined forces with the aim of bringing together doctors, veterinarians and researchers, in a united effort to discuss, share knowledge, and tackle the dilemma of ill- health caused by, on this occasion, the many infectious agents harboured primarily by ticks.
The event attracted and generated a vast amount of interest and goodwill. By keeping the momentum in a unified and concerted way it will allow us to attract research, drive advancement in specialist clinical expertise, encourage successful methodologies needed to tackle the many challenges posed by ticks and other vector-borne diseases and the many associated consequential health problems and uncertainties.
Our approach is two-fold. To help share information about tick and other vector-borne illnesses we bring together UK and international researchers and practitioners from the fields of human and animal medicine. The funding generated by Vis-a-Vis, which is a not-for-profit charity, goes towards the organising of these events and continuing medical research and intervention in this increasingly important area of healthcare.
By working together to raise awareness, diagnosis, and treatment we can improve both the lives and the life chances of vector infection patients and their carers. ‘
Visit the Vis-a-Vis Symposiums website here.