Northampton man who got Lyme disease from a tick off his cat joins worldwide campaign

A Northampton man with Lyme disease is joining a national campaign to raise awareness of the condition.
Campaigners highlighting Lyme disease will be marching in Parliament Square next weekCampaigners highlighting Lyme disease will be marching in Parliament Square next week
Campaigners highlighting Lyme disease will be marching in Parliament Square next week

Protestors will be marking in Parliament Square on Tuesday May 24, calling for the NHS test for the debilitating disease to be improved.

Lyme diseases is a form of arthritis caused by bacteria that are transmitted by ticks.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Dennis, who is lives in Northampton, was bitten by a tick in 2005 and is uniting with other patients in a worldwide protest.

“I was bitten by a tick when my cat Angel was on my lap in 2005.

“Being vaguely familiar with Lyme disease I removed the tick immediately and made an appointment with my GP. At my appointment I mentioned my fear of Lyme disease and requested antibiotics.

“I was told by the GP that Lyme disease does not exist in this part of the UK, he refused to give me antibiotics and didn’t even examine me.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“I believed him until over a year later I started to get problems with my walking. No one in the NHS or privately could give me a reason for my difficulties.

“Finally in 2007 I had the fluid from my knees tested in America and it proved to be positive for Lyme disease.

“That was only the start of my journey. I have spent thousands of pounds trying to treat this disease. I had to leave work as I slowly became crippled.

Whatever I tried I always seemed to relapse. My cat Angel has since died of a horrible crippling disease, and was diagnosed with various tick-borne diseases. My son’s dog, who accidentally bit me, died a year after also from a

crippling disease.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“Worst of all my partner is now showing symptoms and I worry that I infected her,” he said.

The protest is being organised by a former primary school teacher at Nene College in Northampton in the late 1980s.

Now living in Colchester, Sarah Warren said the Government had announced a review of the testing, treatment and transmission of Lyme disease but had not given any timescales.

“The situation is far too dangerous to wait for the results of the government reviews on the treatment, testing and transmission of Lyme disease.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“We have been given no time scale, and are concerned that for every month that passes, up to 3,000 UK citizens could contract Lyme disease, based on estimates by eminent researchers,” she said.

Campaigners have a series of 10 demands they want the Government to act upon, including make Lyme disease a notifiable disease, improved education of GPs and changes to procedure.