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from the Founder > Original Founder's Letter |
The Creation of Turn the Corner
Among the many warnings we heard as children, from
looking both ways before crossing the street to
not touching a hot stove, walking barefoot in the
grass was not one of them. It certainly was not
one of them for me, until I contracted Lyme Disease
in 1994.
My daily activities, which included playing sports
outside, lying on the grass in the park, and simply
walking across the lawn to get to a nearby swimming
pool, were no different from those of millions of
other people. Yet, as a perfectly healthy twenty
year old, without any rash or other indication that
I had been bitten by a tick, I suddenly began having
a myriad of strange, unexplainable symptoms. From
flu-like symptoms, migraines and partial paralysis
to joint pain, cardiac trouble and overall malaise,
I was becoming sicker and sicker. Unfortunately,
these symptoms mirrored those of many other illnesses,
as Lyme Disease so often does. After finally getting
the correct diagnosis eight months later, I embarked
on a very long journey to treat Lyme Disease and
the other tick-borne diseases that I had contracted.
Lyme Disease is complicated. It is a multi-system
disease which can affect virtually every tissue
and every organ of the human body. It can be mild
to some, and devastating to others. It can cripple
and disable, or fog the mind. It can affect men,
women, and children, and even the family dog. Lyme
Disease cases have reached record levels in the
United States. According to the latest figures from
the U.S. Centers for Disease Controls, the number
of reported cases is close to 18,000 annually. However,
experts agree that since the criteria for diagnosing
Lyme Disease is not definitive, the number of actual
cases will likely be more than ten times the number
that are reported. Yet, awareness about how to identify,
DIAGNOSE and treat Lyme Disease
is still lacking.
New research into the progression, treatment and
prevention of Lyme Disease is essential. Toward
that end, and due to my own ongoing battle with
this illness, my husband and I have created a foundation
called Turn the Corner. One of
the main goals of this foundation is to help fund
medical research, education, awareness and innovative
treatments for Lyme Disease and other tick-borne
diseases.
Once we feel Turn the Corner has made an impact
on Lyme Disease research and innovative treatments,
we will broaden its focus to promote the development
of underprivileged youths through a variety of academic
and athletic scholarship programs.
Please support our efforts to provide necessary
research for this debilitating disease. Help us
fulfill our goals so we can Turn the Corner
on Lyme Disease.
Warmly,
Staci Grodin
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