Kelly Haazen Applauds Efforts of Teen to Raise Lyme Disease Awareness

PHILADELPHIA, PA, June 26, 2013

Kelly Haazen, who suffers from chronic Lyme disease, is an advocate for educational efforts regarding the treatment, diagnosis, and prevention of this condition. An article published by boston.com recently caught the attention of this activist, as it describes the efforts of 15-year-old Marissa Freeman to share her experience with Lyme disease with others in an effort to raise awareness about the illness while educating others regarding the many nuances of the disease.

According to the article, Freeman contracted Lyme disease when she was just nine years old. Now a student at Nauset High School, Freeman has spent 100 hours involved in educational initiatives aimed at providing information to the public pertaining to Lyme. A condition that is transmitted by ticks, Lyme disease is known for the flu-like symptoms that it generates. In its later stages, the illness can cause arthritis, neurological problems, and even death if not treated.

Freeman cites her motivation for sharing her experiences with others--and for fighting to better educate the public about Lyme disease--as the need to prevent the disease from causing other people to experience the same symptoms that she has battled. The article explains: "At nine, Marissa began losing weight and suffering from deep fatigue. Alarmed, her parents searched for answers until the exhausted youngster was diagnosed with Lyme and treated. She largely recovered but this past March, her grades began slipping and she became deeply tired again. Her doctor diagnosed her with another tick-borne disease."

"As someone who suffers from chronic Lyme and struggles with devastating fatigue, I absolutely applaud Marissa Freeman, who has clearly turned her pain into a learning experience for not just herself but for others," asserts Kelly Haazen. "What an incredible young lady."

Haazen has, over the duration of her own experience with Lyme disease, developed an understanding of just how undereducated both the general public and the medical community are regarding this condition. She explains that there is much left for the healthcare industry to research in order to develop targeted, more effective diagnostic and treatment processes. Until then, though, she believes that focusing on prevention methods is the best way for individuals to protect themselves--and parents to protect their kids--against Lyme disease.

"I recommend trying to stay away from wooded areas that are known to harbor ticks," suggests Haazen. "Additionally, parents should check their children for ticks after spending time outside, as well as check themselves. Ticks have to stay attached to the skin for an extended period of time in order to transmit the disease, so if they are caught within a day of their initial appearance they are frequently unable to cause Lyme in an individual."

Kelly Haazen encourages individuals to take a proactive attitude toward Lyme disease prevention this summer.

ABOUT:

An individual who has been living with chronic Lyme disease for nearly three years, Kelly Haazen is devoted to raising awareness about this condition. As such, she strives to improve the understanding of the general public regarding the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of Lyme disease. Aside from her efforts regarding this medical condition, Haazen is a wife, mother, art enthusiast, and avid international traveler.