My name is Morven-May MacCallum and I am the author of Finding Joy and Keeping Joy (my novels are fictitious but based on my own seventeen-year battle with Lyme disease).
Some of you may have met me over the years, at events or on the fantastic LDUK Connect webinars that I have the joy of hosting. This year, I was delighted to continue my work raising awareness of Lyme disease by representing LDUK at a number of events.
Morven-May with Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP
I can hardly believe that summer is almost over and that the bright bursts of summer sun will soon be replaced with a crisp winter’s air and yet, what a summer it’s been! I attended so many events that I’d be hard pushed to pick my favourite but the two I’d like to focus on in particular are Carriegarth and Belladrum – mainly because they are so different to each other.
Carriegarth Estate Games
My summer started with the Carriegarth Estate Games. I had never attended before so it was exciting to add something new into my mix of events. I was so pleased to have been invited along – there was such a warm and welcoming atmosphere, and an amazing mix of stalls and workshops too. If I hadn’t been so busy on the Lyme stall then I would have been at the basketmaking class, learning how to make traditional woven baskets.As it was, I was so rushed off my feet that it took me three and a half hours to eat my lunch… and the event was only four hours long! The longevity of my lunch became a point of amusement amongst my fellow stallholders! It was incredible to be so busy and a great way to start off a summer of events.
I had some really interesting conversations with gamekeepers and gillies who work on the estate and estates nearby. It was both fascinating and horrifying to hear about the number of tick bites that they get each day and it was a pleasure to speak to them and to be able to answer their questions on ticks and Lyme disease. There was a wonderfully warm community feel at this event and I very much look forward to hopefully attending next year.
Belladrum Tartan Hearts Festival
Following on from this wonderful event, I was next at Belladrum Tartan Hearts Festival. I have attended this for a number of years and it holds a special place in my heart. Belladrum is the largest festival in the Highlands, with over twenty thousand people attending. It’s a great festival, with a variety of live music, kids’ activities, yoga classes, amazing food and so much more.
We were run off our feet, talking to so many people about ticks, how to prevent being bitten, what to watch out for if you are bitten, and how to remove ticks safely. It was great to see such interest from kids this year too and to have parents bringing their children over to chat to us about ticks and Lyme disease. It just goes to show that, with the right form of education, Lyme disease does not need to be a scary subject to discuss.
Most people who attend Belladrum tend to camp there too. Several people came to us to tell us that they had seen ticks crawling on the outside of their tent and that they had been bitten while camping. I was particularly pleased to be at the festival, so that I could teach them how to remove the ticks on them, and to tell them what to watch out for.
Thankfully, I was able to go home each day, to a good dinner and a comfy bed. These events are wonderful for raising awareness but, as someone with Lyme disease, they are utterly exhausting. I spoke to so many people that I came home each night with a hoarse voice! It’s such an honour to have people with Lyme come and share their stories with me though. It’s a true privilege to attend these events and to hopefully help others by being there.
So, until next year…I’m off to hibernate and recover!
