100 percent of the more than $1 million raised at the sixth annual LymeAid dinner and concert event in Portola Valley, California, will go directly to fund research and education projects for Lyme disease. Bay Area Lyme Foundation, a leading sponsor of Lyme disease research in the United States, brought together scientists, philanthropists, celebrities and patients for the event aimed at raising funds to make Lyme disease easy to diagnose and simple to cure. Multiple research projects are supported by funds raised at LymeAid each year, including studies to better understand the ecology of ticks, and to identify better diagnostics and treatments that will work for all patients.

During her welcome remarks at LymeAid 2018, Bay Area Lyme Foundation's executive director Linda Giampa, led attendees in a moment of silence for all those who have died from Lyme disease. Among those who have passed are four women from the San Francisco Bay Area, one of whom experienced cardiac involvement of the bacteria that causes Lyme disease, and the other three succumbed to the complicated neurologic effects of the tick-borne disease. “Support for Lyme disease research continues to grow, perhaps because of the increasing numbers of people who are severely impacted,”

remarked Giampa. “We are honored to have renowned scientists and up-and-coming researchers lending their expertise to our efforts, and taking the time to educate and engage philanthropists and high-profile personalities through our annual LymeAid event.”

Bay Area Lyme Foundation's research grant director Wendy Adams, shared statistics demonstrating the impact of Lyme disease, and offered details about studies being funded by the Foundation, including the Lyme Disease Biobank, and research being conducted at Brandeis University, Colorado State University, Johns Hopkins, Stanford, and Tulane. Guest speakers and special guests at LymeAid 2018 helped to reinforce the devastating impact of Lyme disease, and encourage attendee engagement. Colonel Nicole Malachowski, USAF, Retired, the first female fighter pilot selected to fly as part of the elite US Air Force Thunderbirds, shared her personal experience with Lyme disease, which forced her medical retirement from the military. “Tick-borne illness brought me to my knees,” said Malachowski, who suffered for more than four years before obtaining an accurate diagnosis, harboring long-term complications from the disease. “I needed every bit of mental and physical endurance training I was given as a fighter pilot to survive this disease.”

During the event, the Bay Area Lyme Foundation also announced the recipients of the annual Emerging Leader Awards. Grants were given to four inspired scientists who have developed promising diagnostics or therapies for Lyme disease. The Emerging Leader Awards from Bay Area Lyme Foundation are made possible each year by a generous donation from the Steven & Alexandra Cohen Foundation. This year, a supplemental donation by Emily and Malcolm Fairbairn allowed for a fourth award, for a total of $700,000 in grants awarded.

John Aucott, M.D., Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine; Christine Green, M.D., clinician, Nate Nieto, Ph.D., Northern Arizona State University; Sunjya K. Schweig, M.D., and William Robinson, M.D., Ph.D., Stanford University, were among the Bay Area Lyme Foundation Scientific Advisory Board members who participated in the 2018 event. Other scientists and clinicians in attendance included Andreas Koglenik, M.D., Ph.D., Open Medicine Institute, Dan Salkeld, Ph.D., Colorado State University, and Jayakumar Rajadas, Ph.D., Stanford Lyme Working Group.

Jay Leno served as master of ceremonies for LymeAid 2018 and generously donated visits to his world renowned Big Dog Garage—one of the most diverse, eclectic, and road-ready automobile collections ever assembled—raising $70,000 for the Foundation on this auction item alone. Following the speakers and formal program, Chris Isaak entertained the enthusiastic crowd with a live set of his hit songs.

Honorary hosts included: Marc Benioff, Daryl Hall, Elet Hall, Jane Seymour, Dr. Richard Horowitz, Dana Parish, Davorin Kuchan, Elaine Mellis, Jim Mair, Gib & Susan Myers, Kirsten and Josh Stein, Mason Tenaglia, and Amy Rao and Harry Plant. Event sponsors included: Aggie's Toffee, Butterfield & Robinson, Erin Mac Jewelry, LARC, Old World Spirits, Salesforce, Sawyer Products, SurfAir, and Whittier Trust.