Mike Koch

Lyme WNY Board Member & Political Efforts Champion & Supporter of his Wife- A Lyme Warrior
My message for individuals with Lyme disease and their families is that there is hope and together we can make things better! There is a lot you can do from showing up at a support group meeting to listen and offer support, through fundraising to help others afford treatment, and by being involved politically to help support Lyme related legislation and increase awareness. Lyme WNY offers these opportunities to get involved and create positive change. My wife has had chronic Lyme disease and we joined Lyme WNY when it was a small group that could fit around a table at a local restaurant. We watched the group grow rapidly over time. We heard countless stories of individuals sharing similar frustrations with misdiagnosis, lack of recognition, treatment, and insurance coverage etc. I learned that there’s a real benefit over time in going to monthly meetings because there’s no quick fix. We’re in this together to help each other over time. Over the years my wife and I learned what seems to work for the majority and we saw group members get better over time which is reassuring. I have learned that there is a lot that can be done politically to help individuals with Lyme disease and tick borne illness at the State and Federal level (see a few examples below). I became a board member in the group to help bring awareness to Lyme related bills in various stages of becoming law (see link and to fight for beneficial legislation to improve diagnosis, treatment, insurance coverage etc. There is a lot you can do and by working together and there is HOPE!