Welcome to Your Lyme Support & Information Group

Our support and information group is based in VA and serves the surrounding counties of Clarke, Warren, and Frederick; all are welcome at meetings however. 
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Lyme Alive was founded in 2011 by long-time Lyme disease advocate Lucy Miller, and continues to this day in her honor and memory under the leadership of Jake Broughton and Adrian VanKeuren.  Adrian VanKeuren had her own 10 year battle with Lyme disease, and has been advocating and raising awareness of Lyme for the last 6 years.  As her health has improved in recent years, Adrian has stepped up her advocacy efforts.  Her goal is to raise awareness of Lyme disease and related co-infections, to teach people how to avoid getting tick-borne diseases, and to bring together those already suffering to share support and information. Jake has suffered from chronic Lyme, co-infections, and other health issues for the least 8 years or so. In that time he has learned an incredible amount about these conditions, as well as health and general nutrition

Science and medicine still have a way to go to  understand the issues a person with Lyme has. May they move much faster toward a cure."

Adrian VanKeuren's Bio:
Adrian VanKeuren was diagnosed with lyme disease and related co-infections after a tick bite in 2007 and found herself becoming an accidental advocate in 2009 when she joined her area support group. She began helping the founder Lucy Miller with educational booths, lyme rallies, and other advocacy efforts. When Lucy passed away due to complications from lyme in 2013, VanKeuren stepped up to lead the support group, now named Lyme Alive, and turned it from a support group into a fast-growing educational group. Lyme Alive attends many area events each year and educates the public about the dangers of lyme disease and how to prevent being bitten by ticks.  In late 2019, VanKeuren and Broughton join forces to grow Lyme Alive, and joined the board of LEAF at the same time, although VanKeuren had been working with them in previous years, even touring with them in 2018.  When not advocating or researching about lyme, she can often be found meditating in nature, reading, teaching tai chi or working with her reiki clients.

 Jake Broughton's Bio:
Jake Broughton was diagnosed with lyme disease, multiple co-infections, and related conditions in 2017 after years of searching for the reasons behind his failing health. To better understand the conditions he found himself battling, he started researching and reading, sharing what he found online in various lyme support/education groups. He began advocating for lyme rights in 2017 and has been pushing for a better understanding of the disease since that time. Broughton is now co-admin of the Virginia based education/advocacy/support group Lyme Alive, growing the group and its reach while continuing to stay on top of the latest research and advocacy efforts of the entire lyme community. He joined forces with the Lyme Education Awareness Foundation (LEAF) program in 2020, becoming a board member and stepping in to help with marketing, research, and educational efforts.  When not advocating for lyme awareness or recuperating from intense treatment, Broughton can frequently be found writing music, reading, or playing one of his guitars.

 Tools You Need to Prevent Lyme Disease

Lyme disease is an infection most commonly transmitted by the bite of an infected deer tick.  Different ticks can also transmit a variety of other pathogens, commonly referred to as “co-infections”.  Diseases common to our area include babesia, bartonella, alpha-gal, ehrlichiosis, and anaplasma; other co-infections include diseases like Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, mycoplasma, Powassan virus, parasites, tick paralysis, relapsing fever, tularemia, and Q fever.
 
Your best defense against Lyme and other tick-borne diseases is to ALWAYS WEAR BUG PREVENTIVE of your choice, every single time you leave your home.  It's equally important to protect pets from ticks, otherwise they bring ticks into the home.  Rodents and other small mammals must also be kept out of the home, for the same reason.  Second best defense is a DAILY, COMPREHENSIVE TICK CHECK – do a tick check and shower within 20 minutes of coming indoors to remove ticks crawling on you. 
 
If you do find an attached tick on you, REMOVE IT PROMPTLY, BUT SAFELY. There is only ONE safe removal method!  That method is to grasp the tick right behind its mouthpiece with a pair of sharp-nosed tweezers, and pull the tick straight up and away.  Make sure ALL of the tick is removed.  Save the tick so it can be tested for pathogens if you so choose.  Treat the bite-site with an antiseptic of your choice, and consider seeking medical treatment.  Watch the bite-site closely for signs of rash.
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Lyme Alive Disclaimer:
Lyme Alive does NOT endorse or recommend any treatment plans or specific doctors, but recognizes everyone has their own treatment path to follow.  We strive to offer support and understanding to those newly diagnosed, those that have been suffering for years, and those seeking information on preventing Lyme disease and related co-infections.