Proclamation from Brampton City Council

What a day! I thought it would be a formality, attending City Council, hearing the reading of the Proclamation, receive it, shake hands, smile, and leave. Was not expecting anything more.

Kim and I met Roberta at City Hall before the time and she took us upstairs to show where to sit. We got hold of the agenda, saw we were after the announcements and some other proclamations and I thought to just follow their procedure.

When called up, I bullied Kim to go with for moral support, took a bunch of the flyers and postcards about our Lyme Walk on May 19, meaning to leave them there for whoever might be interested.

The Proclamation was read by Regional Councillor Gael Miles (I've been in touch with her before about the Lyme Walk). The Mayor then asked if I wanted to say something, but I said I didn't prepare anything. Showed the postcards and invited them to our Awareness day, then said I'd answer questions if there were any.


My goodness! Lots of really good, in depth questions, one after the other, about figures of infections, early symptoms, where the ticks are, how they are spread and more. When I said that Kim and I both have to go to the USA for treatment, that I was set adrift after being treated here, the reactions even heated up more. Someone suggested a recommendation to take -- a quick point of order was called and continued.

We were there for a good half hour, I think, and the result is that a committee would be formed, action taken, and Kim and I to go to Regional Council to present the fact that Lymies have to struggle so to get diagnosed, then treated. There's lots more to say, but it was all positive!

Posed for pictures afterwards (Roberta had my camera). Thanks to Ashley at the Guardian, there was a photographer who wanted to take a picture of us, the Proclamation and the Lyme Mobile. So off we went in the bright sunshine to get it done!

Roberta said in the many years she's been involved in Council, she had never seen such positive reaction, high interaction, and quick decisions, so we have hope that we'll get the support we need!

The pictures with the Lyme Mobile were a lot of fun, and Roberta took several more. I'll upload one here and then add the link to see the others online if anyone is interested.

Here's the link to just a few more pictures, including one of the framed Proclamation.
City Council and Proclamation

When we went back for me to get my car and to debrief ourselves, we talked to lots of people at Colony Ford Lincoln Brampton. While waiting for Kim to go to Council, I sat in their waiting room for at least 45 minutes this morning, yes, wearing that green sweater! So when Kim and I went out to our cars, we got stopped by a man who went home for lunch, said he was flipping TV channels, recognized the sweater and then Kim, so watched the whole thing live on Rogers TV. Too funny!

Let's hope and pray that our part of being vocal, will help adding momentum to this effort that has been going on for years, and to finally be heard on the levels where it counts. We ask for awareness, information posted everywhere, education, doctors to be aware, and for early treatment without waiting for symptoms to appear.

Please join us on May 19! Download a registration form, or email us at LymeWalkBrampton with your name and info to say you want to take part in the walk, and we'll send you a form to start collecting pledges to hand in on the day of the walk. Thank you in advance, for helping to get the word out. Nobody has to be afraid of the disease, as long as we're informed and can get quick treatment. Not all ticks are infected, and not all bites will lead to Lyme Disease.