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Turn the Corner Foundation Rings in Lyme Disease Awareness Month Early at NYSE on April 23, 2009

Posted on: Wednesday, 22 April 2009, 16:00 CDT

Early Detection and Treatment of Lyme is Imperative

NEW YORK, April 22 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Turn the Corner Foundation (TTC), a leading national charity dedicated to Lyme disease research and healthcare provider education, will ring in Lyme Disease Awareness Month (LDAM) at the New York Stock Exchange closing bell on April 23, 2009. The Foundation is ringing the bell a week prior to the start of LDAM to reinforce the importance of early detection of Lyme disease, carried by pinhead-sized ticks that become active in the early spring.

Watch live and archived video streaming of TTC's ringing of the April 23, 2009 Closing Bell: www.turnthecorner.org

This 21st century epidemic presents an often-confusing array of physical, neurological and/or cognitive symptoms. Lyme disease is a multi-system disease that mirrors numerous conditions and illnesses. As a result, the disease is often misdiagnosed and treated by a wide range of medical specialists, with diverging views and knowledge on the spectrum of Lyme and its treatment.

"With more than an estimated 200,000 cases annually, Lyme disease has become the leading epidemic of our time," said Dr. Daniel Cameron, President of the International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society (ILADS) and TTC Medical Advisory Board Member. "We need more physician-scientists who will be the future leaders in the treatment of Lyme and associated diseases."

The incidence of Lyme disease has grown exponentially in the last decade and has spread from the Northeast to every state in the U.S. and throughout the world. However, a reliable diagnostic test for Lyme remains elusive. The Western Blot and ELISA are not always completely sensitive to detect Lyme and other tick borne illnesses. As a result, diagnosis is often based on clinical observation, including a patient's symptoms, health history, and exposure.

Turn the Corner Foundation is dedicated to the support of research, education, awareness and innovative treatments for Lyme disease and other tick-borne diseases. In 2008, Turn the Corner granted over $450,000 for several exciting research projects, including studies on biofilms, nematodes and antibiotic therapy for chronic Lyme patients. These studies continue into the 2009 year, with promising initial results. To address the challenges of properly diagnosing and treating Lyme, Turn the Corner and ILADS partnered to create and implement a physician training program.

The TTC/ILADS Physicians Training Program provides medical practitioners the opportunity to study with a Lyme-literate health care professional. Through this experience, participants develop the skills necessary to help them properly diagnose and treat Lyme disease. These professionals then bring this skill set back to their community in order to better care for their patients. The TTC/ILADS Physicians Training Program is approximately two weeks long, and trainees can have the opportunity to become Lyme-literate through watching mentoring doctors in action with patients, reviewing case studies, and learning individual approaches to clinical and laboratory diagnosis and treatment.

Staci Grodin, President and Co-Founder of TTC, was diagnosed with Lyme in 1994 and understands the importance of finding a Lyme literate doctor. Staci stresses that "the earlier you are diagnosed with Lyme, the easier it can be to treat. This is why it's important to have doctors who are able to identify and properly treat Lyme and co-infections from the onset. We are hoping the Physicians Training Program will spread the knowledge that can prevent advanced cases of chronic Lyme, which are much more complicated, debilitating and expensive. I went misdiagnosed for several months before learning I had Lyme and my symptoms continue to this day. There is a chance that, had my illness been detected and treated in the initial stages, I would not suffer from Lyme today."

To find out more information on Lyme disease diagnosis and treatment, please visit: http://www.turnthecorner.org or call 212.561.0397.

About Turn the Corner

Turn the Corner Foundation (www.turnthecorner.org) is a not-for-profit public charity founded in 2002 by Staci and Rich Grodin, with headquarters in New York City. Turn the Corner is a leading national fundraising organization for research projects that focus on innovative treatment and diagnostic options for Lyme disease and other tick-borne diseases. Through partnerships with other organizations, Turn the Corner is also involved with outreach, education and awareness efforts throughout the country.

About ILADS

ILADS (www.ilads.org) is a nonprofit, international, multidisciplinary medical society, dedicated to the diagnosis and appropriate treatment of Lyme and its associated diseases. ILADS promotes understanding of tick-borne diseases through research and education and strongly supports physicians and other health care professionals dedicated to advancing the standard of care for Lyme and its associated diseases.

If you are interested in interviewing Staci Grodin, Co-Founder of Turn the Corner, or Dr. Daniel Cameron, President of ILADS and TTC Medical Advisory Board Member, please contact Sonia Tarbill, Powered by Professionals, at 646.278.6740 (wk) or 646.265.1710 (cell), or email sonia@poweredbyprofessionals.com

Photos of Opening and Closing Bells:

Available via Associated Press/New York (212.621.1902), Reuters America (646.223.6285) and Bloomberg Photo (212.617.3420).

Feed of Closing Bells:

The Closing Bell(R) (starting at 3:55 p.m.) feeds are available via Ascent loop #4009. Those seeking footage via The Switch please contact NYSE Broadcast at 212.656.5483.

SOURCE Turn the Corner Foundation

Source: PR Newswire

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