A who’s who of notables will be present at the October 8 New York City gala to celebrate the inauguration of the Global Lyme Alliance (GLA) and honor four individuals who have played an active role in finding a cure for the disease.
GLA is now the leading Lyme and tick-borne disease nonprofit, the product of a recent merger between Greenwich’s Lyme Research Alliance (LRA) and New York’s Tick-Borne Disease Alliance (TDBA). GLA combines LRA’s research expertise and wide network of world-renowned medical experts and researchers with TBDA’s proven grass-roots awareness campaigns and national fundraising events to build an organization that is stronger than either part was on their own.
“By consolidating our two groups, we are now able to speak with a single, more powerful voice to advance the fight against tick-borne diseases,” said GLA Chairman Robert Kobre. “We have harnessed our individual strengths and combined them to pursue our shared mission to develop effective treatments for Lyme disease.”
Lyme is currently the most common vector-borne disease in the United States. Over 300,000 cases are diagnosed in the US each year, a number that has increased nearly 25 fold since national surveillance began in 1982. As of now no accurate diagnostic tests exist, nor are there any tests that prove that Lyme bacteria is eradicated or that the individual is cured. Nearly 20% of individuals treated for Lyme continue to experience arthritis, fatigue, impaired vision, memory loss and other cognitive problems.
Said Event Chair Tommy Hilfiger, “as a unified voice, we raise awareness through public education and serve as an information resource, leading the fight against the pervasive global disease.”
CEO of Anheuser-Busch InBev Carlos Brito, TV personality and model Yolanda Foster, author and designer Ally Hilfiger and pop star Thalia will be honored at the gala in October. Each of the honorees has had a personal experience with Lyme disease and is committed to finding a cure.
“We are thrilled to have these exceptional individuals join us for what promises to be an exceptional night,” says Kobre. “All are actively making a commitment to help change the future for Lyme patients by raising awareness and supporting our mission to fund research for the development of an accurate diagnostic test and a cure for this insidious disease.”
The Global Lyme Alliance Inaugural Gala will take place at Cipriani 42nd Street in New York City. A cocktail reception will kick off the night at 6:30pm, followed by dinner and an awards ceremony at 7:30pm. To reserve a table and ask about sponsorship opportunities, email camy.calve@globallymealliance.org.
