The Fifth Annual Global Lyme Alliance Gala was held in New York City on October 10th. The event raised over $2.5 million to support lyme disease research.
Attending the 2019 Global Lyme Alliance Gala
I am honored that I was able to attend the 2019 Global Lyme Alliance Gala with my husband, Nick, last week in New York City. I feel so much gratitude for Global Lyme Alliance hosting this wonderful event, and for the over 700 attendees who came together in Manhattan on October 10th to support lyme disease awareness. This was GLA’s largest fundraising gala to date—way to go!!
And to be honest, I feel grateful that I was physically well enough to travel and experience this inspiring and memorable evening because as many people know, lyme doesn’t take days off, regardless of what our plans may be.
The Evening’s Events
The venue, located at Cipriani on 42nd Street, was decorated by Lawrence Scott Events, and looked nothing short of magical! The photos can’t even fully capture the elegance. The evening commenced with a cocktail hour (hors d'oeuvres provided by Aureole) and red carpet photos, followed by a delicious dinner menu inspired by Chef Charlie Palmer. The main program featured motivational speeches from the host of the evening, Rosanna Scotto of Good Day New York, GLA leadership, and lyme disease survivors and advocates. Dinner was proceeded by an exciting live auction, which raised over $600,000! The night concluded with entertainment by Big Apple Circus, and a musical performance by TONY-Award Winner Santino Fontana.
Some of the program’s speakers included: Global Lyme Alliance CEO, Scott Santarella; GLA chairman, Robert Kobre; entrepreneur and lyme patient, Bob Kelly; former vice-chairman of Millennium Partners and father of three lyme survivors, David Nolan; and founder of WellBe and patient advocate, Adrienne Nolan-Smith;
The gala program also featured a powerfully produced film which depicted the debilitating and often heartbreaking symptoms of neurological lyme disease on a young mother and her family. This short film really hit home to me and raised crucial awareness to the often overlooked symptoms of late-stage lyme. The film was very well produced, and I felt was a very accurate depiction of what a person battling this progressive disease can go through on a daily basis. It is this kind of awareness that is key to getting more people involved in the fight because they can better understand what life is like for lyme patients and why the research is needed.
Oh, what a night!
The gala was an inspiring evening from the beautiful decor and the memorable speeches, to the amazing food, and remarkable conversation. The room was filled with people who are passionate about finding a cure and delivering hope to lyme patients and their families worldwide.
I was able to connect with other lyme warriors from around the world, and meet some of the hard-working individuals who support GLA. The message was spread that lyme disease has no boundaries, and it can happen anywhere and to anyone; regardless of their age or current health status. It is now estimated that lyme disease could impact up to 2 million individuals by 2020.
This is why it is so important to continue to support organizations like GLA who are leading the way with innovative research to not only discover better treatments, but to help diagnose tick-borne disease earlier, and to even educate the general public on preventative measures.
What does Global Lyme Alliance do?
The Global Lyme Alliance provides a strong community for those battling lyme disease and their families during what can be considered the most lonely and unpredictable time in a person’s life. GLA offers invaluable resources including a doctor directory and peer-to-peer mentoring program to help people with lyme disease find the help they need to combat this insidious disease. GLA has helped over 100,000 lyme patients and their families with referrals for lyme-literate MD’s across the country.
They work with some of the top scientists and researchers in the field conducting ground-breaking studies and trials to further advance the testing and treatment of lyme and tick-borne diseases. GLA’s world-class scientific advisory board follows a rigorous process approved by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to award research grants based on scientific standards. The funds raised by this gala and other GLA events throughout the year go directly towards supporting research and programs that will advance the scientific knowledge of tick-borne diseases, and ultimately finding a cure.
“When you have lyme disease there is just something so uplifting about meeting others who “get it” and can truly understand your journey. ”
You Dont get it until you get it
As my friend and fellow lyme warrior, Katie said, “there are communities of people you never wish to be a part. But, once you become a part of that community, you can’t imagine walking through life without them.” I couldn’t agree more with this sentiment, and words cannot expresses my gratitude to Global Lyme Alliance and all that they have done for my family.
When I was first diagnosed with late-stage lyme disease my husband and I didn’t know where to turn because we had experienced rejection from numerous doctors, hospitals, and infusion centers in Illinois, which forced us to seek treatment out-of-state. We were also abandoned by our insurance company, and even some of our friends and family members didn’t understand the seriousness of lyme disease and the impact it had on us physically, emotionally, and financially. It was around this time that we were first introduced to the GLA community on social media.
I started talking with other lyme warriors online, and my husband and I attended the Chicago GLA fundraisers and connected with others who were going through the same experience as us, and we started to find our strength again, for the first time in awhile we had hope again. And today, I am proud to call those fellow lyme warriors and advocates my friends. I am proud to share my story and advocate alongside these strong, resilient and talented individuals.
Attending the gala only further fueled the passion within my heart to continue advocating and sharing my story to help others find the support, resources and the help they need. Lyme disease is a difficult journey that no one should ever have to take on alone. I am already looking forward to next year’s gala and have begun to challenge myself to try to figure out ways I can contribute to the cause in a more impactful way.
“Once you choose hope, anything is possible!”
My hope in sharing my experience at the gala is that my fellow lyme warriors can find comfort and hope in knowing that there is an incredibly powerful community working on our behalf to not only raise awareness for lyme disease, but to ultimately find a cure! It is amazing what we can accomplish when we’re in it together!