In memory- Neil L. Spector, MD. USA.
We are extremely sad to have to report the death of Dr Neil L. Spector, USA, Oncologist, and premier tick-borne illness researcher. Author, Gone in A Heartbeat, a physician’s search for true healing. Neil was athletic, he ran marathons, but tick-borne diseases ravaged his body to such an extent that in 2009 he needed and received a heart transplant. Neil, while working as a top Oncologist, decided to also turn his attention to tick-borne diseases, thereby implementing his oncology expertise to tick-borne infections. With vital support and generosity from the Steven and Alexander Cohen Foundation, Neil and his colleagues have been able to develop and continue an intrinsic and fundamentally valuable future for tick-borne illness research. Such is the nature of tick-borne diseases that sadly, 11 years following his heart transplant, they continued to wreak havoc on Neil’s severely compromised immune system, and evidenced further complications too difficult to overcome. Neil was a personal and true friend to our small charity, so much so that in 2016 and unpaid, he made the 8,000 mile round trip to the UK from North Carolina to support us as a key note speaker at our symposium where he presented his valuable work and research. “To me, Lyme is the infectious disease equivalent of cancer. We don’t talk about cancer as just one disease anymore, and we should stop talking about Lyme this way. There are so many strains and co-infections. When you are bitten by a tick, you can get five or ten different infections at the same time. I also find it ludicrous to call...SNAKES AND LADDERS – SNAP – EMPATHY AND COMPASSION…..
In the press recently, titled Snakes and Ladders, Professor Garner has relayed his experiences of Covid-19. No doubt we all empathize completely, and wish him a speedy recovery. He also had a place of comparative ‘luxury’ where, on the BMJ blog site, he was able to tell his important story. Conversely, if he were sat in front of his GP, his GP would not be allowed enough time to listen to all he had to say and make a suitable diagnosis, or definite plan for recovery. CFS or ME would be mooted, and as they are only descriptions and not a definitive diagnosis, it would mean a dead end as far any useful treatment. The symptoms that he and many others describe would be judged as being ‘too varied’. Multitudes of patients have witnessed their overworked GP being expected to make life changing judgments in the ten minutes allocated to each patient, with 20 minutes allowed only when particularly requested beforehand. Life changing, because in reality that is precisely what happens. It is the job of a physician to interpret for medical purposes, what a patient is saying, that interpretation is then added to medical records, for life! With the best will in the world, those 10 minute interpretations are often woefully lacking in reality, often perpetuated and as accurate as Chinese Whisper. When a physician or scientific researcher experiences an illness from ‘the inside’ rather than from a detached clinical or research setting, that position, hopefully, has to be one of the most important aspects in driving medical advancements. The validity and opportunity of shared personal experiences from...THE COUNTESS OF MAR
Margaret of Mar is the 31st Countess of Mar, our oldest peerage, and has been a member of the House of Lords since 1975. When the House of Lords act was passed in 1999 to restrict the number of hereditary peers, Lady Mar was elected to the new House receiving the highest number of votes in support. She has been one of the most active members of the House of Lords and in addition to her political work has been Chairman, President and Patron of many groups including Gulf Veterans Association, Environmental Medicine Foundation, Elderly Accommodation Council and founder of Forward-ME which works with many charities related to chronic fatigue syndrome and myalgic encephalomyelitis, ME. Her extensive work related to organophosphates contributed to most of these chemicals being banned in the UK, and this work has expanded to bring attention to the risks to airline staff from aircraft engine fumes A huge effort with many difficulties has been associated with her work in support of patients with a diagnosis of ME/CFS. It had been a battle to expose the failure of the mainline treatments used by the NHS for these conditions such as talking therapy and exercise regimes. In addition, Lady Mar has taken on a major roll supporting patients with the often devastating tick-borne illnesses. This has involved direct work supporting, and as advocate for patients, leading to extensive work with the Health Protection Agency (now Public Health England) and the Department of Health. After raising many patient issues in the House of Lords she engaged directly with these organisations starting in 2012 resulting in specific action plans...“From Cat Scratch Disease to Bartonellosis”
From Galaxy Diagnostics a new educational resource brochure. https://www.galaxydx.com/new-cat-scratch-disease-bartonellosis-galaxy-brochure/ Please go to their website for further information...
