Lyme
Education
Awareness
Foundation
Saving Children's Lives: One Lesson At A Time
​Contact Us: (410) 739-5409
Welcome
Dr. Nancy Fox,
Ed.D
What's the Story?
When Dr. Nancy Fox was diagnosed with Lyme disease in 2003, she never could have imagined how much her life would change. Once diagnosed, she quickly learned how little knowledge there was on Lyme disease, so she decided to change that. In 2011, Dr. Fox’s first children's book, “No Ticks Please”, was published. Then, in 2014, her second book, “Hide and Seek, and No Ticks Please,” was published. In 2017, No Ticks, Please|No Garrapatas, Por Favor was published. In 2019, The Parasite Convention: How The Humans Have Messed Up Our Lives is taking a different approach to bring about awareness of disease and illness through the stories of Insects.
As an educator for the past 25 years, Dr. Fox made it her mission to educate others about Lyme disease and has created a full curriculum for levels K-12. Now, Dr. Fox is taking this curriculum on the road! Along with some help from other Lyme sufferers, Dr. Fox will be going to over 15 states, and teaching almost 2500 children (thus far) about Lyme disease and prevention in the next few months. This is all done by volunteer effort and funded by donations and sponsorship. So follow along as we take the East Coast and midwest by storm, and educate the children about the disease of our present and future.
Cassidy Colbert
Social Media Coordiantor
Our Offerings
The Lyme Education Tour offers children onsite activities that help them learn the important safety habits to be aware and prevent tick bites and diseases. Each child receives a sling backpack with information and activities for their families to spread awareness throughout the family and the community.
When Cassidy Colbert got diagnosed with Chronic Lyme disease at the age of 14, she had one thought, “no other kids are going to get sick like me.” Ever since that day, she has made it her mission to spread awareness about the disease that changed her life.
Lyme disease caused Cassidy’s world to be turned upside down, sideways, and every other direction. She went from being an energetic, academic, athletic girl, to sleeping her days away. Sometimes she would sleep for more than 18 hour a day, which left little time for school or friends. Cassidy ended up having two PICC line (peripherally inserted central catheter) that she used to get her IV antibiotics. There were a few months when her brain function was so horrible that she was physically unable to read. Cassidy also went through a six month period of paralysis; One minute she would be having a conversation, the next minute she would be completely paralyzed, unable to even speak at times.
She was forced to cut back on her schooling and to quit all extracurricular activities. In between sleeping and going to doctors’ appointments, Cassidy started her blog “The Lyme Diary,” where she discussed her daily struggles with Chronic Lyme. However, that still was not enough for her.
Cassidy then went on to create an online support group for other teenagers fighting Lyme. The group started out small, only about 20 kids, but soon it flourished. The group now has almost 500 kids ranging from ages 10-25 in it. They discuss everything from school, symptoms, friends and anything else they just need to talk about. When Cassidy saw how many other kids were just like her, it was bittersweet. On one hand she found more people who could relate to what she was going through, but on the other, she could not help but be heartbroken that there were so many other children suffering like her.
This just fueled Cassidy’s fire. She testified in front of the Maryland State House and Senate to get a bill passed in 2016. She was featured in a NowThis Her video about her advocacy efforts. So, when Cassidy met Nancy Fox in the winter of 2018, it was fate. All Cassidy has wanted to do was educate and prevent kids like her from getting this life-altering illness, and here was Nancy with a plan to do just that.
Cassidy joined Nancy’s team and thus the “Lyme Education Tour” was born. She is now our social media coordinator and Nancy’s other brain. For more information on Cassidy and her story, check out her blog:
Fun Facts
We love Shawn Mendes.
Our road trip snacks consist of anything chocolate and Rice Chex.
We always stop at Starbucks and Panera.
We watch Hallmark every night on tour.
Cassidy turns every hotel room into a gym.
We once drove an hour just to get Olive Garden.
Our record is 15 states, 52 locations and over 4500 children: Connecticut, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, Wisconsin.