Name: Teja K.
Occupation: Student
Location: Fairfax, VA
"I think the best thing about being an Ambassador is knowing that I have the potential to educate hundreds of people across the country about tick-borne illnesses and prevention. It’s also great to know that there’s a network of people ready to provide support whenever I need help."
How did you find out about GLA?
- After I had beaten Lyme disease, I spent a few months looking for others who had gone through similar experiences as myself, to connect with them. However, it was difficult since Lyme disease isn’t really a focus of mainstream media as much as other diseases. After a while, I gave up looking. But about a year ago, a friend told me about GLA, so I went to their website and read their mission statement. I’m excited to find an organization offering programs that allows me to connect with others to share my experiences. I found the GLA Lyme Education Ambassador program and applied to join. As an Ambassador, I really love sharing my experience with others and raising awareness about this awful disease.
Why are you passionate about educating others about Lyme disease/tick-borne illnesses?
- I’m very passionate about this because there needs to be more attention on Lyme disease, especially in mainstream media. It’s a terrible disease with many awful life-changing symptoms. Lyme disease is the most common and fastest growing vector-borne disease, yet federal agencies continue to underfund research. As an Ambassador, I want to do my part to educate more people about the disease, how to prevent it, and the importance of early detection. My goal is to prevent people from contracting Lyme disease and other tick-borne illnesses.
How are you raising awareness as a GLA Ambassador?
- Unfortunately, due to COVID-19, a lot of events were cancelled. However, I’m still trying to do my best to raise awareness about Lyme disease. I talk about Lyme disease whenever I get an opportunity. For example, I had a chance to educate members of a club at my school this year. Even though COVID-19 took away a lot of opportunities, I’m still trying to do as much as I can to raise Lyme disease awareness.
What do you like about being an Ambassador?
- I think the best thing about being an Ambassador is knowing that I have the potential to educate hundreds of people across the country about tick-borne illnesses and prevention. It’s also great to know that there’s a network of people ready to provide support whenever I need help. It’s something that I didn’t have when I had Lyme disease, so I’m trying to help other people as much as possible.
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Learn more about GLA's Ambassador Program.