Lyme Disease Documentary: The Quiet Epidemic on May 8

LYME CONNECTION, an all-volunteer organization, is marking 20 years of service. Our mission remains the same, to make the community a healthier place by preventing tick-borne diseases and supporting patients and their families throughout their illness.

This spring we are pleased to celebrate Lyme Awareness Month with two programs. The Quiet Epidemic, a provocative documentary about Chronic Lyme disease, at The Ridgefield Playhouse on May 8, 2023 at 7pm. This film premiered at the prestigious Hot Docs International Film Festival last spring, where it was voted into the Audience Top 20 out of 200 films. It then went on to screen at another 20 festivals and won the Best Feature Documentary award at Doc Utah last fall.

The filmmakers, Lindsey Keys and Winslow Crane-Murdoch, met while they were patients of the same physician. Teaming up in their search for answers, they created a documentary that exposes the grim truths about Lyme disease.

The film follows a young girl from Brooklyn and a Duke University scientist, both diagnosed with a disease said not to exist: Chronic Lyme disease. What begins as a patient story evolves into an investigation of Lyme disease, dating back to its discovery in 1975 in Lyme, CT. A paper trail of suppressed scientific research and buried documents reveal why ticks - and the diseases they carry - have been allowed to spread quietly around the globe.

A post screening Q & A will follow the film with Dr. Kenneth Liegner, well known for his knowledge and skill in treating Lyme and other tick-borne diseases.

Ross Douthat, a New York Times opinion columnist, political analyst and author will be at the Ridgefield Library, May 25th at 7pm, to discuss his recent book, The Deep Places: A Memoir of Illness and Discovery. Ross shares his battle with a devastating illness, ultimately diagnosed as Chronic Lyme Disease. In The Deep Places, Ross details the struggles faced by many Lyme patients as they seek a proper diagnosis and appropriate medical care – while exploring the controversies that surround these insidious tick-borne diseases. During his journey, Douthat discovers the many pitfalls of modern medicine, as well as the strength and courage needed to reclaim his health.

Since its discovery, Connecticut residents have seen Lyme disease affect their family, friends, and communities. In 2022, the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station found 54.4% of adult Ixodes scapularis ticks (deer ticks),and 29.5% of the nymphal ticks are infected with the causative bacterial agent of Lyme disease (Borrelia burgdorferi) in Connecticut.

These two programs provide audiences with a greater understanding of the reality of Chronic Lyme disease and can perhaps be a catalyst for changes in current ineffective policies.

For further information, please see LymeConnection.org

To purchase tickets for The Quiet Epidemic, go to RidgefieldPlayhouse.org